The Finish Line
by DarkFlash86
Summary: Kid Flash has a secret. And he'll die to keep it...literally. COMPLETE! Finally...!
1. Prologue & Chapter I

My second attempt at a story. Hope you enjoy.

Pairings: Kid FlashxRaven, some RobinxStarfire

Disclaimer: I don't own…I rent

* * *

Prologue_

* * *

_

_KRAKOOM!!_

_He was approaching near light speed by now. He had to get to them…they needed his help. Just a few more miles. He could make it. They're counting on him. He blows past the mountains of New Zealand, rockets through Malaysia, blasts through the snows of the Himalayas, and finally, they come into view. His teammates, his friends._

_The Teen Titans._

_KRAKOOM!!!!!_

_The pain hits him like a brick wall, piercing his entire body. He goes blind._

"_Not…now…AAAAAAAAAH!!!"_

* * *

Chapter I

* * *

It was a typical morning in Titans Tower. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. The loud whistling of a tea pot on the stove. And, of course, the voices of Cyborg and Beast Boy arguing about the breakfast menu.

"Man, how many times do I have to say it? I'm NOT eating that!"

"C'mon, Cy. Just one little taste. It can't be worse than eating that stuff."

Beast Boy pointed to the frying pan filled with bacon. Everyone knew that BB was a strict vegetarian, and that he only ate tofu. But the problem was that he often forgot his friends, well, didn't.

"At least it tastes better than the crap you eat!"

They argued until they heard the door slide open. The young heroes turned to see their friends Robin, Starfire, and Raven enter the kitchen. Raven went right to the cupboard to get her mug, while Star and Robin grabbed their plates. Cyborg and BB called a truce and started serving their friends.

"Wow, you out did yourself this time, Cy. Everything looks great," said Robin.

Starfire agreed. "Oh, yes. This is truly glorious, Cyborg! Thank you!"

And with that, the young Tamaranian gave him a steel crushing hug. Beast Boy cracked a smile and silently thanked God it wasn't him on the receiving end of that. Star's hugs tended to be…painful.

Raven poured her usual cup of tea, fixed a plate of food, and sat down. The Titans were beginning to chow down when the beautiful sorceress noticed that one of her teammates wasn't there stuffing his face like he normally did every morning.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked "Has anyone seen Kid Flash?" Robin, looking up, noticed the same thing. Just where was he, anyway? It wasn't like him to be late for a meal, especially the way he ate.

"Did anyone knock on his door?" Robin asked. They all shook their heads "no." The Boy Wonder put his hand to his chin and thought. 'He's probably still be sleeping.' It wouldn't be the first time, after all. 'Still, it wouldn't hurt to check.' He quickly finished his eggs and made his way back to the corridor.

It wasn't long before Robin came across Kid Flash's room. He knocked a few times…and no one answered. Confused, he knocked harder. Still, no answer. "That's weird," he said to himself. He looked at the control panel next to the door. A red light was blinking, indicating the door was locked.

"Very weird."

Robin had known Kid Flash for years, even before they were on the Teen Titans. He never used to lock his door unless something was wrong. After knocking a third time, he decided to go in. He punched in his security access code on the control panel, and the door slid open. Robin's eyes widened immediately.

The room was utterly destroyed. Clothes lying everywhere, furniture in pieces, the window shattered. And, most notably, Kid Flash was nowhere to be found.


	2. Chapter II

Judging from the reveiws, I 'd say I'm doing better this time around. Heh...thanks to the reveiwers. Well, I think it's about time to bring in the main character. Don't you?

Disclaimer: Still renting...

* * *

Chapter II

* * *

"I don't know what to tell you, Wally. All the tests came back negative." 

Wally West lifted his head and sighed. "Are you sure? Maybe you missed something…?" his voice trailed off.

Dr. Jerry McGee put his hand on the teen's shoulder. "I'm sure. According to the blood tests and x-rays, you're in perfect health. I see no indication that says otherwise. But just to be safe, Tina and I will continue to do some more tests. If we find anything, we'll call you."

Wally's eyes brightened, and a small smile came across his face. "Okay. Thanks for everything, Doc," he said.

Jerry returned his smile. "Don't mention it, kiddo. Now you go on and get back to you're friends. I'm sure they're wondering where you are."

Wally hopped of the table and laughed. "With any luck, they'll never know I was gone."

The two shook hands, and in the blink of an eye, the red-headed teen was gone. Jerry smirked at the small cloud of dust where Wally had been. "Kids today…"

Wally came up to a nearby men's room. Finding an empty stall, he pulled out a special ring and pressed a small button on the side of it. It opened and a red and yellow costume came flying out. In a split second, Wally West donned the familiar suit and mask of Kid Flash. Once he finished, he zoomed back out of the building and onto the street.

It wasn't long after he began heading back that his communicator started ringing. 'Uh-oh. Here we go.' He reached back, grabbed it, and flipped it open. Since he was going so fast, the image was a little hazy, but he could still tell that it was Robin on the other end.

"What's up, buddy?" he asked with a smirk.

Robin just glared. Wally thought he was about to get a lecture of some kind, but instead his friend only asked four words.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just went for a little run, that's all," replied the speedster. Robin didn't look at all convinced. He knew he was hiding something. He had known Kid Flash for far too long, and the fact that his room looked like it had been burglarized didn't help, either.

"Once you get back, we need to talk. Meet me on the roof, okay?"

Kid Flash nodded. "Okay. Be there in a sec," he said, and flipped his communicator closed. Once it was safely tucked away, Kid Flash kicked into high gear. As the air around him crackled with electricity, he raced back to Jump City, darting and dodging traffic along the way.

Soon, he was on the bridge over the bay. Looking over to the right, he saw the island…and Titans Tower. In a daring move, he veered right, leaped over the edge, and hit the water running without missing a step. Within seconds, he was on the roof, just like he had promised.

Kid Flash looked around, not seeing Robin anywhere. "Slow poke," he said to himself with a smile. He walked over to the edge, sat down, and waited. Just as his mind started to wander, he heard the roof access door open and close behind him. He looked over his shoulder expecting to see his old buddy. But it wasn't who he thought it would be.

Hood laying around her shoulders and cup of tea in her hand, Raven walked over to begin her morning meditation. She turned her head and saw the red and yellow clad speedster sitting by the edge.

"You missed breakfast," she said in her typical monotone voice.

"I know."

Her eyes narrowed. "But you never miss breakfast."

Kid Flash scratched the back of his head and looked away. "I…uh…there was something I had to do," he said. Raven didn't need telepathy to know that he wasn't telling her the whole truth. She took a quick sip of her tea, walked over and sat down next to him. Looking into his eyes, she asked "What exactly did you have to do?"

Kid Flash stared back. "Why don't you read my mind and find out?" he smirked. Raven raised an eyebrow. "No thanks," she replied. She didn't want to know what kind of thoughts went through his head. He was a teenage boy, after all. But at the same time, she actually found herself tempted by his offer, although she wouldn't admit it.

Raven took another sip of tea. She was about to say something when they both heard the door open again. They turned their heads to find Robin standing behind them.

"Excuse us, Raven. Wally, follow me."

Kid Flash got up and followed his friend. As they made their way towards the stairs, he glanced back at Raven, winked, and went through the doorway. Raven sat there for a moment, trying to process what just happened. 'He was just flirting with me, wasn't he?' she thought. She soon felt herself beginning to blush. Feeling her emotions starting to stir, she quickly found her center and calmed herself.

Once she regained her focus, she began to think. 'He never told me why he missed breakfast this morning,' she remembered. It may not have seemed like a big deal, but Raven suspected that there was more to it than just 'going for a quick jog around the world,' or whatever it is he did in the morning. She figured any reason for Kid Flash to miss a meal was cause for concern. She knew that she needed to meditate, but her mind was made up.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Raven grabbed her cup and went down the stairs, determined to find out what Kid Flash was hiding.

* * *

Enjoy yourself? I hope so...cause it ain't over yet. Now I ask you...what kind of action/adventure story would this be if it didn't have a bad guy? Well, stop pouting. Next up: the bad guy! 


	3. Chapter III

Here it is, kiddies. The bad guy has arrived…BWAHAHAHAHAHA! (cough, cough)

Disclaimer: Renting still…

* * *

Chapter III

* * *

The storm was growing. They could feel it in their very souls. The wind seemed strong enough to rip their castle clear off the mountain. The rain was hard and merciless, like sand in the desert. The thunder was so loud, it was nearly deafening. And then there was the lightning. 

The lightning…

It tore through the sky, lighting up even the darkest corners of their cold sanctuary. But this particular storm was not the work of Mother Nature. Oh, no…there was something far more menacing behind this. The bolts of electricity that shot from the heavens were the strangest colors. Some were the natural colors of yellow and white, while others were tints of blue…and red.

They felt it. _He_ was coming.

They prepared the altar for his grand arrival. Above it, the roof had been opened to allow the harsh elements inside. After years of waiting, he would finally return to them, his loyal servants and subjects. His disciples. And this time, there would be no stopping him. No stopping _any _of them.

The dark clouds in the sky began to circle above the opened roof that led to the altar. The thunder boomed, rocking the castle to it's foundation. The rain ripped through their robes. The wind tore the tapestries off the walls, and knocked most of them off their feet. The disciples were getting anxious.

It was beginning.

A small hole appeared in the clouds above. Looking to the heavens, one of the cloaked men grinned an evil grin. This was it. He ran as fast as he could towards the altar. Just as he reached the center, a giant bolt of blue lightning came blazing down upon the altar. The disciple raised his hands to the sky, as if welcoming his own demise. The bolt hit the altar with unimaginable force. The explosion of electricity blew the rest of them back several feet.

Once they reached their feet, they walked cautiously towards the altar. Some peered upwards. After that last lightning strike, the storm calmed considerably, though it was still raining. They looked at the altar. The smoke from the blast was starting to clear. There was an unmistakable smell of seared flesh in the air. Once the smoke cleared, they saw both a terrible and glorious site.

On the floor was the remains of their fellow disciple, his bones burnt and blackened. However, there was someone else there as well. He was standing over the seared skeleton of their friend. He was a tall man, with grey skin, long hair, a beard and moustache, and a scar on his chest in the shape of a lightning bolt.

He surveyed the castle, the men around him, and the altar he stood on. The cloaked disciples surrounded him…and fell to their knees in praise. He began to chuckle softly, which grew into hysterical laughter.

He has returned.

* * *

Yeah, I know. Insanely short and yet _another_ cliff hanger. But before you get all steamed and decide to burn me alive, let me just say that the next chapter has the answers you so desperately crave. And it's longer, too. No, really, I swear! So c'mon…douse the torch, sparky. All will be revealed. In the meantime, go ahead and tell me how much you enjoy (or despise) my story so far 


	4. Chapter IV

Why _did_ Wally trash his room? Why _did_ he race off to the doctor's office? What_ is_ he keeping from his friends? Behold, loyal readers: The Answers!

Disclaimer: Where's that damn rental card…?

* * *

Chapter IV

* * *

Wally hadn't spent much time in the Crime Lab. He'd seen it every once in a while, but only when Robin needed his help with something. There were countless newspaper clippings on the walls, most of them from past cases. A small table sat in the center, with a single lamp hanging above it.

Robin grabbed a chair and placed it by the table.

"Sit down."

Kid Flash, surprised by the forcefulness of his friend's voice, did as he was told.

Robin leaned against the table and crossed his arms. "Okay, Wally. Start from the beginning. What's going on?"

The red-headed speedster sighed deeply. He was obviously uncomfortable, but Robin didn't much care. Although Wally was his best friend, he wanted the truth, and he wanted it _now_.

He wasn't the only one.

As quietly as she could, Raven levitated to the closed Crime Lab door. She put her ear against it, hoping to hear their conversation. Nothing. She realized that the door was sound proof. 'No problem,' she thought. Using her mental abilities to amplify her sense of hearing, she replaced her ear on the door. This time, she could hear as clearly as though she were inside.

Kid Flash inhaled sharply…and began his story.

"Okay, Dick. You're my best friend, and you deserve the truth. I told you how I got my powers, right? Well, there's something I didn't tell you. After a while, I started having a problem. A big problem. Every time I used my speed, my body would vibrate out of control." He paused. "I swear, sometimes it got so painful, I could've killed myself." Kid Flash looked at the ground, trying not to remember the times he almost died because of his own body.

Robin's eyes narrowed with concern. Why hadn't he said any of this before? Why would he keep something like _this_ to himself? Robin wanted these questions answered…and so did Raven. Her ear was glued to the door as she continued to listen in.

Kid Flash went on. "The vibrations would happen randomly, and sometimes they would last even after I stopped running. I thought I was gonna die, Dick. I really did." Raven's grip tightened around her tea cup when she heard that. "But then my Uncle Barry's friend Jay introduced me to a guy named Max Mercury. This guy is unreal. Jay said he was the first speedster…_ever_. He says he used to be a cowboy in the Old West, or something, and he traveled through time to our era and…"

"Wally!"

Kid Flash shook his head and refocused. "Sorry. Anyways, he said he could help me with my…uh, problems. He got together with some of my uncle's friends at S.T.A.R. Labs, and they did all kinds of tests so they could figure out what was wrong. I'm not sure of the details, but they said it was my metabolism that was the cause. It was accelerating, too fast for even me. Apparently eating like a horse wasn't enough. After I'd get through digesting, my body tried to extract energy from my muscles, which caused them to vibrate."

Robin shifted his weight and asked "Did they find a way to stop it?"

Kid Flash looked to the floor again. "Yeah, I guess. Max made some kind of serum that slowed my metabolism back to normal. Well, normal for _me_, that is. He said to take it once a day for three months, so I did. And for long time, the vibrations stopped…" his voice faded.

"Until last night," finished Robin.

Kid Flash nodded slowly. "I can't explain it. I was dreaming about us. The Titans, that is. You guys were off somewhere fighting, and I was running as fast as I could to get to you. And as soon as you came into view, BAM! But it didn't just happen in the dream. I woke up, and it seemed like the whole tower was shaking. As it turns out, it was me. It wasn't too bad…at least not until I stood up. Once I did, the pain hit me like a damn eighteen wheeler. It was blinding. I remember rolling around the floor, yelling for help. I guess the sound proofing in the walls are better than I thought, since no one answered."

A twinge of guilt ran through both Robin and Raven. 'I should've heard him. I should've been there,' Robin thought. The eavesdropping empath was thinking similar thoughts.

'I should have sensed it. I could have helped him.'

Raven felt her emotions resurfacing, this time even stronger than before. She tried to focus, and concentrated on what Kid Flash was saying.

"After the pain settled, I decided to head back to S.T.A.R. Labs, in Central City," he continued. "I didn't think I'd take so long there. I figured they'd just give me some more of that serum and call it a day, but instead they ran a few x-rays and tests to see if this was the same. According to the results, it wasn't."

A look of confusion came across Robin. "Are they sure about that?" he asked. "From what you just told me, it's sounds like it's the same thing."

The speedster shrugged. "I dunno. They said they would call if they found anything." Kid Flash scratched the back of his head, then looked his old friend right in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Dick. I should've told you sooner. A _lot_ sooner. I guess…I don't know…"

Robin looked back at his friend, and decided not to push the issue any further. He put his hand on Wally's shoulder, and said "It's okay, Wally. You know I'm just concerned." Wally knew, but that didn't make him feel any better.

Frustrated and confused, he buried his face in his hands. 'God, tell me this isn't happening again,' he thought.

Raven couldn't help but hear his thoughts. At that point, all she wanted to do was go in there and comfort him. To tell him that everything would be all right. As her mind wandered, she let go of her emotional reigns for a split second. Her hand started to glow with black energy, and the cup she was holding shattered, spilling tea everywhere. Regaining her composure, she quickly used her power to clean up the broken pieces. Deciding to make herself scarce, she softly chanted her magical words "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," and phased through the floor.

Just as she disappeared, the door slid open. Kid Flash walked out, followed closely by Robin. "Dick, I don't want this leaking out to anyone else. At least not yet," replied Kid Flash.

Robin agreed. "Okay, buddy. I promise I won't say a word." Kid Flash raised his hand and smirked.

"Shake on it."

Robin returned the smirk and the two teen heroes shook hands. Robin turned and walked towards the lounge. As Kid Flash began to follow, he heard a slight _squish_ under his boot. He looked down to find a small wet spot in the carpet. The speedster cringed.

"Aw, man! That better not be what I think it is!" he exclaimed.

He raced to the bathroom, grabbed some paper towels, and zoomed back. As he started to clean, he noticed something different. First of all, it was _very _recent. Second, it didn't reek as if it were…well, you know. It smelled kind of, well, sweet. Wally took a sniff. He didn't recognize it at first, but after another whiff, he knew what it was. His eyes narrowed.

"Herbal tea."

* * *

I really hope that satisfied your curiosity…cause it's time to get things moving. In both departments. Up next: Things heat up when Wally confronts Raven. And later: Our mysterious "bad guy" makes his presence known. But first, a word from our sponsors… 


	5. Chapter V

My apologies to everyone for the extended commercial break. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program…

Disclaimer: Still renting...thank God for no more late fees

* * *

Chapter V_

* * *

BANG! BANG! BANG! KA-BOOM!_

"Boo-ya! How do you like me now, BB?!"

"Dude, you were so cheating! I saw you looking at my screen!"

Cyborg turned his head and glared. "Did not! I was too busy blowing you up to look at your screen!"

Beast Boy threw his controller down. "You are _so_ lying, tin man!" He hated losing Halo, especially to Cyborg. Before Cy could make a comeback, Beast Boy got up and stormed to the kitchen. Cyborg just shook his head and began a solo game.

While Beast Boy searched the fridge for a drink, Starfire flew in and sat down on the couch. "Excuse my interruption, Cyborg, but have you seen Robin? I cannot find him anywhere."

"Nope. Haven't seen him since breakfast," he said, eyes glued to the giant screen in front of them.

Beast Boy poked his head out from the fridge. "I think he went to the roof for some reason."

Star sat and thought where he could be. Just as she got up, the door slid open, and the Boy Wonder walked in. Starfire glided happily over to him.

"Robin! Where did you go?" she asked.

Robin scratched his head, trying to think of an answer. "I, uh, was just…going over something in the Crime Lab," he blurted out.

"Oh. Is there a new case?"

"No. Nothing new."

Star smiled. "Very well. Shall we go then?"

Robin quirked an eye. "Go where?"

"You promised to take me to the carnival today. We were to go on that giant wheel called Ferris, and…"

Robin's eyes widened. "Oh! Yeah…sure. Give me a minute and we'll go, okay?"

The Tamaranian just beamed, and placed a soft kiss on his lips. As she flew out of the room, the Titans' leader started to blush. The two had started dating shortly after their adventure in Tokyo, and it was still an adjustment to everyone.

Beast Boy immediately started to make kissing noises in Robin's direction. He loved giving his friend a hard time about their PDA. Robin, on the other hand, wasn't amused. He shot a dangerous glare at BB, who in turn cowered back behind the fridge door.

Cyborg looked over his shoulder and smirked. 'Another typical day,' he thought.

----------------------------------------------------------

Raven glided towards her room, avoiding as many people as she could. Ever since the Brotherhood of Evil was defeated, the Titans' ranks had grown. Although they had split into teams across the globe, the main Titans Tower was still pretty packed.

Aside from the original five, there was also Jericho, Kole, Gnarrk, Red Star, Hot Spot, Wildebeest, Melvin, Timmy, Teether, Bobby, and a certain speedster Raven especially wanted to avoid at that moment.

She floated down the hall and stopped in front of her door. She pushed the button on the panel, and when the door opened, she gasped.

"What kept you?"

Leaning against her bookshelf, arms crossed, was Kid Flash. He stared at the empath in front of him, his eyes narrow and focused on hers'.

Raven didn't know what to say. She cautiously walked inside, their eyes remaining fixed on each other. As she sat down on her bed, she calmed herself somewhat and asked "What are you doing in my room?"

Normally, if Raven caught anyone in her room without permission, she would give them nightmares for a week. But Kid Flash wasn't phased. He didn't care what room it was. All he cared about was getting answers. And, unlike Raven, he would get them _directly_.

"You should really learn to clean up after yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

Wally took a deep breath. "You spilled your tea outside of the Crime Lab. When I went to clean it up, I noticed that it was _very_ close to the door and _very_ recent. And seeing as how you're the only person here who drinks that stuff, I knew it had to be you."

Raven bit her lip. Wally continued, his voice firm.

"If you were just passing by, it you would've spilled it in the middle of the hallway. Not right in front of the door. So that means you were listening in."

Raven closed her eyes. She could feel his gaze burn through her entire body. She tried to find the words to say, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Kid Flash walked over, bent down, and gently lifted her head.

"What did you hear?"

Raven tried as hard as she could to focus. When she opened her eyes, she saw a piercing blue pair staring back at her. Once again, she managed to regain her composure. Living with powers such as hers, she got rather good at that.

"You were right. I followed you and Robin earlier. I wanted to know what happened to you this morning. But I know how stubborn you can be at times, so instead of asking, I…eavesdropped. I'm sorry." She stopped for a moment, looked at the floor, than looked back at Kid Flash.

"I only wanted to make sure you were okay."

Kid Flash straightened up and crossed his arms again.

"I know. Thanks for your concern. But you still didn't answer my question."

Raven could tell he was agitated. He had a right to be, after all. If someone eavesdropped on her, she would be too.

Looking him in the eye, she said "I heard the whole thing."

Wally turned his head away and silently cursed at himself. The last thing he wanted was for his friends to find out about his condition. 'Dammit. They got enough problems without having to worry about this,' he thought.

Raven once again sensed his thoughts. She stood up, cupped his cheek with her hand, and turned his head back to face hers.

"So that's your excuse for not telling us?"

A look of utter confusion came across Kid Flash's face, but it disappeared just as quickly. 'Keep forgetting she's psychic.'

Raven continued, this time her voice firm. "You can't keep secrets like this just because you don't want to worry the rest of us. We can help you, Wally. You know that."

Kid Flash grabbed the hand on his face and gave it a slight squeeze.

"It's my problem. I'll deal with it."

Raven lowered her hand and put both on her hips.

"Knock it off."

"What?"

"That ridiculous 'loner' attitude. It's overused."

"You would know."

Raven quirked an eyebrow. "Look, stop acting like you're alone in this, okay? You're not."

"I don't see this happening to you or anyone else!"

"Didn't I just say we can help you?! You know all the different kinds of medical equipment we have! My powers alone could help you…!"

Kid Flash held up his hands. "No! I know how your 'healing' power works, Rae. You absorb the pain of others, then channel it out. There's _no way_ I'm gonna burden you with that!"

Raven's emotions were nearly impossible to repress at this point. Anger, frustration, _concern_…all of it boiling at the surface, ready to burst. Why does Kid Flash make her feel this way? She felt strongly about her friends, but for some reason, Kid Flash seemed to make her feelings even stronger.

She raised her arms again. This time, she pulled his mask off and down to his shoulders. Wally just stared, bewildered. Raven placed both hands on his cheeks. Her eyes seemed to glisten slightly with tears.

"Listen to me, Wally. I know you want to fight this by yourself. But I'm _not_ going to stand around and let you go through this alone. I don't care how much pain I have to absorb. All I care about is helping you."

Wally let out a deep sigh.

"Raven…"

_BREET! BREET! BREET!_

The alarm sounded all over the tower. Robin's voice boomed over the loud speaker.

"Titans! We've got trouble Downtown! Everyone, meet Starfire and I at the coordinates I'm sending!"

Wally reached back and grabbed his communicator. He flipped it open and looked over the info Robin sent. He quickly showed it to Raven, then stashed it away.

"We'll continue this later. We'd better get moving," Raven said.

Wally put his mask back on. "Right. You want a lift?"

Raven smiled softly and nodded.

"Sure."

Kid Flash smirked back, swept her up in his arms, and raced out of the tower towards the city.


	6. Chapter VI

Sorry for the wait, everyone. I've been under all types of stress the past few weeks. Damned internet...

* * *

Chapter VI

* * *

Normally, if Kid Flash was running with a beautiful girl in his arms, he'd have a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon. But this was different. Not because he thought his passenger wasn't attractive…_far_ from it. He was glaring for other reasons.

First and foremost, their friends were in trouble, and they were on their way to help.

Second, after what took place this morning, he figured he'd concentrate on not dying before reaching their destination. Sounded like a fair trade off to him.

In his arms was Raven. She was also concentrating, but not entirely on the mission. She couldn't help but think about what just happened in her room a few moments ago. She let her emotional guard down big time, and practically had a melt down in front of Wally. But was it such a bad thing to show she cared?

'C'mon, Raven. Stay focused,' she thought.

They crossed they bay within a few seconds. Raven noticed that Kid Flash wasn't going as fast as he normally did. She sensed he was getting more and more uneasy as they approached the coordinates.

A few seconds later, they reached their destination. Kid Flash gently put Raven down, and they both began to look around.

Downtown Jump City was a shopper's paradise. Tall skyscrapers, designer stores, shopping malls, the works. However, the buildings were damaged and partly smashed, windows were shattered, and the normally busy streets and sidewalks were practically deserted. Aside from a few terrified civilians, and a cop or two, the only people there were the Teen Titans.

Raven put her hood up and looked over to see Robin and Starfire standing in a small crater in the street, poised to fight, and looking around frantically. She flew over to them.

"What happened here?"

Robin responded. "We were on our way to the carnival when we saw the block starting to…I don't know, tear itself apart. Cars flipping, windows breaking, people getting hurt. All out of nowhere."

"We then found ourselves under attack," Starfire added. "By whom or what, I do not know."

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind came from in front of them. All three Titans felt the sharp blow of a fist on their jaws, and flew back several feet.

Raven sat up rubbed her cheek. "What was that?!"

"I wish I knew," said Robin as he rose to his feet. "Maybe we're dealing with…"

_KRACK!_

The Boy Wonder flew back once again. Upon seeing this, Starfire clenched her fists and charged her star bolts. Her eyes glowed a dangerous green.

"Where are you?! Show yourself!"

_WHOOSH!_

Another gust of wind blew from behind. The Tamaranian spun around and threw a barrage of star bolts, but when the dust settled, all she hit was the side of a building.

Meanwhile, Kid Flash dashed over to Robin and helped him up.

"Where's everyone else?!"

As if on cue, the T-Car roared around the corner and screeched to a halt. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Hot Spot jumped out, ready for anything.

Well…_almost_ anything.

_KRACK-A-BOOM!!_

The force of the blow was so strong, not only did it launch the young heroes into the air, but the T-Car as well.

Kid Flash raced towards his friends. Running in a circle, he created a small cyclone that cushioned the falling car and his teammates.

Once they were all safely on the ground, Kid Flash kicked into hyper speed. It seemed familiar to him, this type of attack. He began to look around.

It was interesting, being in hyper speed. Everything was moving in ultra slow motion, as though he were watching a DVD. He saw Star in the middle of firing her eye beams…at a wall. He turned to see Raven in the middle of charging her mystical black energy. Behind him, Cyborg and Hot Spot were launching blasts of fire and energy in every direction.

And he also noticed the three men running around and behind them, ready to strike again. While everyone else seemed almost frozen, these guys were moving normally. Wally was right. They were speedsters.

"Gotcha."

Although in hyper speed, Kid Flash could still run pretty fast, which gave him the edge. He knew there was a risk, but he had to chance it. He took off for the one behind Starfire first. The mystery speedster was positioned to attack her back when Kid Flash swept in between them, landing a right cross on his jaw as he zoomed by.

Next, he turned towards Robin. This thug was coming in from his left, and it looked like he had some kind of sword with him. But before he could swing his weapon, Kid Flash charged him, kneed his gut, and delivered a sharp elbow the back of his head. Robin's attacker fell to the ground, unconscious.

Wally took a quick second to catch his breath. He was beginning to feel it again. The vibrations. The pain. But he couldn't stop now. His friends needed him. To hell with the pain.

Kid Flash turned to see the third mystery man dive towards Raven, sword poised and ready to skewer.

"NO!!"

Kid Flash went into a dead sprint towards them. The lightning around him was blinding. The attacker hadn't even gotten a millimeter closer before Kid Flash reached them. Darting back and forth, he unleashed a barrage of rights and lefts on the assailant's jaw. After a few dozen of these, Kid Flash ended it with a strong, fast uppercut. The thug speedster soared into the air, and landed hard on his shoulders.

Wally felt his adrenaline pumping. The slight pain he felt earlier was completely gone.

Kid Flash calmed himself. Slowly, the people around him began to move faster and faster, as Kid Flash brought himself out of hyper speed. Soon, he was moving normally. Normally for the Fastest Boy Alive, that is.

Raven was about to release her spell when she noticed the fallen thug at her feet, and more notably the sudden appearance of Kid Flash in front of her.

"Kid Flash? What happened?"

Wally held his hand up. "Everyone stop! It's over."

The rest of the Titans stopped their fruitless attacks and rushed over to their friend.

Wally looked down at the unconscious speedster at Raven's feet. He kneeled down and turned him over. Everyone immediately quirked an eyebrow.

"Dude…ninjas? You mean to tell me we were fighting invisible ninjas?" questioned Beast Boy.

Kid Flash looked up. "They weren't invisible, BB. They were just moving too fast for you to see them."

"Speedster ninjas? Oh, great, that makes it all better. Is anyone else here as confused as I am?"

Kid Flash smirked, and then it hit him. His adrenaline rush wore off, and the pain from moving at hyper speed caught up with him. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad as earlier.

He winced slightly. "Ah. Wonderful."

Cyborg offered his hand. "You ok, roadrunner?"

Kid Flash grabbed it and pulled himself up. "Yeah, just a little friction burn. I'm ok."

Of course, Robin and Raven knew better, but neither said a word.

Starfire rounded up the other two assailants.

"Shall we turn them into the proper authorities?"

Robin thought. "Not just yet. I doubt this was a random attack, and ninjas don't normally work for themselves. I'm willing to bet they're working for someone. Lets wake one of them and see if we can get some answers."

The rest of the Titans agreed.

Raven held her hands upwards. Her eyes began to glow as she chanted.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

A wave of black energy shot from her hands and wrapped around the unconscious ninjas.

One of them began to wake. The Titans walked cautiously towards them.

"Morning, sunshine. You sleep okay?" taunted Beast Boy.

Robin glanced at him, then back at the bound speedster.

"We'll cut right to it. Who are you, and who are you working for?"

The ninja remained silent, to no one's surprise.

Robin grabbed his collar. "You gonna talk, or is this going to get…difficult?"

This time, the ninja chuckled.

"You don't scare me, boy," he growled. "Go run along and play."

Robin clenched his teeth and glared. He raised his fist, but Kid Flash stopped him.

"Wait a sec, Robin. Let me try."

Robin lowered his fist and thought a moment. 'Wally interrogating someone? This ought to be interesting.' Robin let go of the ninja and stepped aside.

"Go for it, Kid Flash."

Wally smiled menacingly. He turned his head to face Raven.

"Rae, would you be so kind as to drop your force field around this clown?"

A confused look came over the empath's face, but she did as he asked, and let the one ninja go.

Just as the field dropped, Kid Flash dashed towards him, grabbed him, and raced up the side of a nearby skyscraper. Before the ninja knew it, he was hanging over the side of the roof.

"Aaaaaah! Holy…for the love of God, don't drop me!"

Kid Flash had taken the ninja's dark blue robes, tied them around his ankles, and suspended him under an outcropping.

"Now, I know this method might be a tad cliché, but I thought it was still pretty cool. Don't you?"

"Aaaaah…"

"Ok, bright eyes. You heard my friend ask you some questions down there. So let's hear it. Who are you working for?"

Kid Flash began to swing his helpless captive. The ninja yelled hysterically for a few more moments before choking out an answer.

"Sa…Sav…Savitar!"

Kid Flash ripped one of the lines, causing the ninja to drop slightly. Again, he screamed.

"C'mon, buddy. You can do better than that. Who's this Savitar person?"

"Savitar…is the undisputed Lord of Speed. The s-swiftest and mightiest of us all! Lighting incarnate!"

Kid Flash looked as though he'd just seen purple monkeys fly by.

"Lord of Speed…rrrriiight. And what's your story?"

The ninja looked up. "S-Savitar bestowed the speed unto us so that we may c-carry out his word."

"How did you get your speed? Did he just snap his fingers and you magically had it?"

"No…our lord has found a way to steal the speed from others around the world, transferring it to us. But the process takes longer for some, since their connection is stronger."

"Connection to what?"

The ninja looked to the sky.

"The Speed Force."

Kid Flash stood up. 'Wow, this guy is definitely off his rocker,' he thought.

Suddenly, the pain he felt earlier returned ten times over. He let out an agonizing yell and collapsed to his knees.

"GAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

While watching this, the ninja smiled under his mask.

"It has begun…"

_KRAKOOM!!_

A huge bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck the dangling speedster. Within a split second, he incinerated, and what was left of him fell to the ground.

Shortly after the lightning struck, the pain Kid Flash was experiencing subsided. He got back up and looked over the side, only to find a burnt piece of cloth hanging from the outcropping.

"Uh-oh."

Kid Flash dashed over the side and ran down the side of the building. Once he reached the ground, he screeched to a dead stop and stared.

The seared remains of all three ninjas laid before him. The rest of the Titans hurried over.

"Kid Flash? What the hell happened up there? You didn't do this, did you?" asked Robin.

"No. I…didn't exactly see what happened."

Robin looked down at the gruesome sight. "Aw, man…I've seen some pretty bad stuff before, but this…"

Beast Boy ran off to the bushes to throw up, as did Hot Spot. Cyborg grabbed a spare blanket from the T-Car and covered the bodies.

Raven glided over to Kid Flash. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to think about what he said."

Robin looked up at him. "What did he say?"

Kid Flash scratched his head.

"Well, he told me some guy by the name of Savitar sent them here, but he never said why. Apparently, this dude is draining speed from other speedsters and giving it to these goons."

"Do you think this Savitar is responsible for this…atrocity?" asked Starfire.

Kid Flash crossed his arms. "I'd say so. Looks like he didn't want them talking anymore than they already had."

Robin rubbed his chin and thought. The sounds of sirens soon filled the air. The police and ambulance were on their way.

"Alright, Titans," said Robin. "The cops will take care of the rest, so let's regroup at the Tower. From there, we can figure out how we're going to go about finding this Savitar."

Kid Flash put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You guys go do that. I'm gonna go see an old friend. I think he can give us some info about this guy."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, trust me."

"Okay, but I don't want you going alone. After everything that's happened, I don't think it's a good idea."

"Fine."

Robin looked around. "Okay…Raven, Beast Boy. You two go with him. The rest of you, go back to the Tower and dig up all the info you can. I'll stay behind for a while and square things away with the police."

The Teen Titans nodded in agreement. Cyborg, Starfire, and Hot Spot jumped into the T-Car and sped off. Robin went to go meet the squad of police that just arrived.

Kid Flash smirked and turned to BB and Raven.

"You guys think you can keep up?"

Raven smiled and floated into the air, her black aura flowing around her. Beast Boy smiled as well, and slowly morphed into a cheetah.

Kid Flash laughed. "Okay then, follow me."

And with that, the three heroes zoomed out of the city, determined to find answers to the question they were all asking themselves:

Who is Savitar?


	7. Chapter VII

It's been a long time, I know. For all of you who have waited this long...thank you. It means a lot. Enjoy...

Disclaimer: I may not own the rights, but I own THEIR SOULS!!!! ...ok, maybe not...

* * *

Chapter VII

* * *

**Manchester, Alabama**

**Present day**

The rays of sunshine pierced through the clouds like a knife. The wind was cool and refreshing. In the distance, you could hear the hum of city life. Cars honking, trains roaring, people chatting.

'No wonder he loves this place,' Kid Flash thought with a smirk.

The three heroes were zooming down the highway, just outside of the city. Kid Flash had taken Raven and Beast Boy into his speed stream so they could keep up. As they past the city, they got off the highway and shortly began booking it down a dirt road.

Kid Flash looked back at his friends. "We're almost there, guys!" he called.

Raven smiled and nodded. Beast Boy, at this point, had morphed back into his regular self and was just enjoying the ride. He gave a quick thumbs up to Wally, who just smirked, rolled his eyes and faced forward.

After a few seconds, they stopped in front of a nice little ranch about a mile or so outside of the city. The young Titans walked up the front steps and Kid Flash rang the bell.

Instantly, a middle aged man with white hair opened the door and smiled.

"Wally! Great to see you! Please, c'mon in!"

As soon as they all stepped in, Wally pulled his mask down and hugged their host.

"Good to see you too, Max," he said

Wally turned and made with the introductions. "Max, this is Raven and Beast Boy, from the Teen Titans. Guys, this is my friend Max Mercury. He's pretty much the first speedster…_ever._"

Max held out his hand. "A great pleasure to meet you both," he beamed.

BB immediately grabbed it and started shaking it wildly.

"Dude, that is so cool! The first one ever? Wow, you must be pretty old then, huh?" he blurted out.

Raven slapped her forehead and ran her hand down her face. 'Such an idiot,' she thought.

Max just laughed and shrugged. "I guess you could say that, but I try not to show it." He then turned to Raven and offered his hand. Max could tell that the empath was a bit hesitant.

"I swear, I'm docile," he joked. Raven smiled and shook his hand.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Mercury. Wally said you could help us with a problem."

Max turned to the red and yellow clad kid and asked "What problem?" Wally walked over and put his hand on Max's shoulder.

"Max, have you ever heard of a guy named Savitar?"

Max's silver eyes widened at the sound of that name. He froze in place and just stared for a minute. And a minute for a speedster is an eternity.

Beast Boy waved his hand in front of Max's face a few times. "Uh, I think he just checked out on us, Wal," he said.

Kid Flash gently shook Max back to the real world. Max then grabbed Kid Flash by his shoulders.

"Wally, tell me everything," he said sternly.

They all sat down and the Titans told their tale. How the ninjas attacked them. How the one told Wally about Savitar…and the Speed Force. And how the all met their end shortly afterwards. Once they finished, Max stood up.

"I didn't think he would return," he murmured.

Raven's eyes narrowed slightly. "So I take it you know him?"

"Unfortunately. It's a long story, really," he said, "but I'll tell you…"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**_

_**1950**_

_The night was cool, and the fog was thick. But then again, it tended to be that way at the south end docks._

_Through the hazy night, one could make out the outlines of two men loading cargo into the back of a small boat._

"_How late are we gonna be, anyway, Mikey? I'm missing Milton Berle!"_

"_Would you pipe down, Fred! We're almost done. By the time the cops figure out what's goin' down, we'll be long gone. Once we get this stuff to our dealers in Jersey, we'll have enough money to-"_

_KRACK!!!_

_A blue and white streak flashed through the fog and knocked Mikey back through a pile of small crates._

_Fred, stunned at what he saw, jumped off the boat. He was about to start running, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, and soon found himself against a wall, held up by his collar._

"_Wh-who the hell are you?!" he choked._

_The masked man smirked._

"_I've gone by a lot of names, but you can call me Windrunner. And I'm taking you to the police."_

_Fred thought he was busted for sure. But when he looked over the speedster's shoulder, he saw Mikey emerge from the broken crates. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a revolver. Fred smirked._

"_Don't bet on that, freak!"_

_Windrunner glared. He was about to beat the sense out of Fred when he heard the sound of a gun hammer being cocked back._

_SHRRIIPP!!!_

_The blue and white clad speedster spun around to find Mikey had been impaled by a sharp 2x4. And when he fell, Windrunner noticed the man responsible standing behind him._

"_Who are you?! What do you think you're doing?!"_

_Instead of answering, the mysterious figure zoomed past Windrunner, grabbed Fred, and tossed him over the pier._

_Windrunner sprinted over as well, and caught the falling thug. After he laid him on the floor, he stood up and faced the figure again._

"_Are you going to answer my question?!" he demanded._

_The other speedster chuckled._

"_I had to see if it was really you."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You are the one once known as Ahwehota, are you not?"_

_Windrunner glared. "There was a time I went by that name, yes. Who are you?"_

_The man stepped forward._

"_I am Savitar. I am just like you, Ahwehota. We both run with the wind. I have long searched for you, and now my quest is over."_

_Windrunner was still hesitant. "What do you want with me…Savitar, was it?"_

_Savitar nodded. "I must know the truth. I have spent years researching and reading…trying to find the answer. What powers us? What was it that bestowed upon us this incredible gift? What was it that allowed me to destroy the army that invaded my country? And what was it that helped you save that tribe of Indians all those decades ago?"_

_Windrunner crossed his arms._

"_Well, you've certainly done your homework. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what it is that powers us. I know it is some kind of…force, for lack of a better term. But each time I've tried to reach it, I end up time traveling forward." He looked down at the corpse near Savitar's feet._

"_And as far as us being the same," he said, pointing to Mikey's body, "we're not."_

_Savitar clenched his fists. "I sought you out because you were the first of us…because I thought you could help me find the answers. I believed you would join me, that together we could breech the barrier and become one with the lightning."_

_Windrunner loosened up. 'He's about to book it,' he thought._

"_Clearly, I was mistaken. You are obviously unworthy to join me. You concern yourself with the matters of lesser beings. It is of no surprise that you have not touched this…Speed Force. Only the fastest man alive can."_

"_Enough talk. You murdered that man over there. I'm taking you in."_

"_HAHAHAHAHA! I doubt you can, Ahwehota. You are too slow to catch me!"_

_With that, Savitar took off in a dead sprint over the water, and Windrunner zoomed closely after him._

_The two speedsters began a race around the globe, with both men side by side exchanging the occasional punch._

_Half way across the Pacific, Windrunner thought of a crazy idea that just might stop Savitar. There was great risk, but there was also no choice._

"_Hey Savitar! You want the answers?! Then follow me!" he called._

_Windrunner began to push himself, harder and faster that ever. Savitar, not to be out done, was in hot pursuit._

_Lightning began to crackle around them, as the ran faster and faster. Soon, they found themselves in what seemed to be a tunnel of light. There was something calling to them…something wonderful. They were going someplace where time has no meaning. A place that Savitar had never been, and that Windrunner knew all to well._

_But just before they reached the other side, Windrunner grabbed Savitar's arm and with all his might, tossed him against the tunnel wall, causing a portal to open into the time stream._

_Both men fell into the hole, and in a flash of light, it was over._

_Windrunner rose up from the sidewalk he had landed on. He looked around frantically for Savitar, but there was no trace of him._

'_He must've gone further ahead. Either that or he didn't survive,' he thought._

_The weak speedster stumbled to the nearest police station, hoping that would be the last he would hear of the man called Savitar._

_----------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Manchester, Alabama**

**Present day**

Kid Flash, Raven, and Beast Boy all sat and stared at Max when he finished his tale. He smirked.

"I always knew how to entertain guests," he joked.

Raven shook her head back to reality.

"I'm guessing you were Windrunner, then?"

"Yes. I've used a lot of names in my time. Windrunner, Whip Whirlwind, Lightning, Ahwehota…"

Beast Boy chimed in. "Uh, I got a question. What kind of name is that, anyway? I mean, Whip Whirlwind sounds kinda lame too, but that's just _mmph_!"

Raven used her energy to wrap around Beast Boy's mouth. Max just chuckled.

"Ahwehota is a Native American name. It means 'He who moves beyond the wind.' It was the first name I used as a speedster," he explained.

Beast Boy morphed into a fly, escaped Raven's little censor bar, and changed back.

"Oh. Cool."

Wally stood up. "Max, what can you tell us about those ninjas of his? How did they get their speed?"

Max rubbed his chin.

"I don't know, Wally. Perhaps when I threw Savitar against the field, the Speed Force may have transferred more power to him. And he's not exactly stupid…he would have figured how to manipulate those new abilities by now."

"Did he have followers when you went up against him?" asked Raven.

Max shrugged. "It's possible. He didn't mention it, but with his kind of zealotry, I wouldn't be surprised."

Wally scratched his head.

"Now for the million dollar question. What's his beef with me?"

"Well, your connection does appear to be stronger than most others, even your uncle's. I'm guessing he had some problems trying to channel it out of you, so he sent his lackeys to bring you to him," said Max.

Raven put her hand on Kid Flash's shoulder. "That would explain everything that's happened lately," she murmured.

Kid Flash nodded. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fit.

Just then, Kid Flash's communicator started going off. He quickly flipped it open to see Robin's face on the screen.

"Kid Flash, report. Did you find out anything?"

"Yeah, we did. Max gave us the low down on this guy. He's bad news."

"They usually are. We couldn't find out anything at the tower, but there are more reports coming in about city neighborhoods tearing themselves apart. You'd better get back here, buddy. We need you guys."

"Got it, bud. We're on our way," said Wally. He closed his communicator and put his mask back on.

"Max? Do you think you could come with us? We could use your help."

Max Mercury put his hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled.

"You three kids go on ahead. I'll catch up to you," he said.

Kid Flash smiled and turned to his friends.

"Ok guys. Let's get going."

Both Raven and Beast Boy nodded. Kid Flash opened the door, and in a split second, he swept up his friends in his speed stream, and they were gone.

Max shook his head and smiled. 'Just like Barry,' he thought.

He turned around and headed towards his closet, but a huge gust of wind knocked him to the floor. Max began to look around the room. He knew that was no ordinary wind.

"The years have been kind to you, Ahwehota," said a chilling voice, "but do not expect the same kindness from me!"

_KRACKOOM!!!!_

A streak of blue lightning shot across the room and zapped Max where he sat. The force of the blow was so strong, it sent him flying through the wall of his house. He landed out in his yard, unconscious and barely breathing.

A dark figure emerged from the smoking hole in the wall. His eyes dangerously crackled with electricity. He chuckled to himself.

"With you out of the way, and the other speedsters either preoccupied or powerless, nothing can stop me now. The boy's destiny will be mine for the molding. And his friends, the Teen Titans, will be disposed of…swiftly!"

* * *

Hopefully this was worth the wait. If you're still interested, please feel free to review. I'm working on the next chapter, too, so there won't be such a long gap next time. Till then, loyal readers... 


	8. Chapter VIII

Here's a slightly updated version of Chap 8. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter VIII**

* * *

"Am I the only one who's getting sick of this?" asked Cyborg, who had just taken out a small group of ninjas. Robin looked over to his friend and quirked an eye. Cyborg smirked.

"Guess not."

_WHOOOSH!_

A gust of wind blew right behind the bionic bruiser, telling him that he had more guests

to entertain. He spun around just in time to see an electrically charged katana swing at his face.

_KLANG!_

Cyborg grabbed the blade just before it struck. Even through the mask, Cy could see the look of surprise on the ninja's face. Cyborg smiled wickedly, and snapped the sword in two with his hand. Changing his other hand into his sonic cannon, Cy blasted the speedster into a nearby wall.

"Pretty good, speedy. But not good enough!"

The swarm of ninjas that had descended upon the Titans were shocked. How did they become so formidable?

"What is happening?" one of them hissed. "They do not possess the speed! How is this possible?"

Robin smiled. True, the Titans were caught off guard the last time, but by training with someone like Kid Flash…they knew how to handle speedsters. This time, they were ready.

A giant blue streak came flying towards the Boy Wonder. Robin quickly opened a compartment in his belt and pulled out a few small capsules. He threw them onto the ground, which was instantly covered by ice. The speedster lost his footing, slipped past

Robin, and crashed into a truck.

"Watch your step," said Robin with a grin.

_KRACK!_

A sharp blow knocked Robin back by several feet. He rubbed his cheek and looked up to see a group of ninjas standing over him, weapons drawn and ready. But before they could make their move, a barrage of green energy came blazing from the sky.

"You will not hurt him!" cried Starfire, as she released a wave of star bolts at Robin's attackers.

The ninjas scattered, running in circles around the Teen Titans. Star let loose a giant star bolt, which blew the ground out from under the ninjas' feet. But just as soon as those speedsters were defeated, a new group appeared. It seemed like it would never end.

"Titans, get ready!" yelled Robin.

_KRACKOOM!_

A red and yellow streak cut in between the Teen Titans and the new group of speedster ninjas. A large cloud of dust rose from the phenomena, and from it came a loud voice.

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos!"

A beam of Raven's black energy shot from the cloud, taking out most of the ninjas. Some, however, managed to get away…but not for long.

A green cheetah leapt from the dissipating cloud, and cut off the retreating ninjas. Two of them managed to book it away from Beast Boy, but the last one wasn't so lucky. BB lunged toward him, clawed him several times, then morphed into a boa constrictor and wrapped around his prey.

The last two headed away from the city, attempting to return to their lord and master. They just began crossing the water when that same red and yellow streak stopped them.

_KRACK! KRACK! BOOM!_

Kid Flash had zoomed back and forth, nailing the thugs with vibrating fists. The ninjas flew back into the water, out cold. Kid Flash scooped them up, and headed back to his friends. Once there, he grabbed some chains from a nearby construction site and tied up the entire bunch.

"Glad you guys could make it," said Robin.

"C'mon, dude. You know we'd never miss a good party," grinned Beast Boy.

The rest of the Titans regrouped. With the police on their way, they decided to head back to the tower and plan their next move. Cyborg jumped in the T-Car along with Starfire and Beast Boy and sped off to Titan's Tower. Robin was about to ride of as well when he noticed that Kid Flash wasn't moving.

The Fastest Boy Alive just stood and stared at the bound ninjas as they were being hauled off by the authorities. A very determined look was on Kid Flash's face. He turned his head and looked at the sun setting on the horizon.

'Something big is coming. Something bad…' he thought.

His thoughts were scattered when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to find

Raven, with a concerned look on her face.

"You okay?"

Kid Flash nodded. He was about to answer her when he noticed Robin coming over as well.

"Kid Flash? What's the problem? You all right?" he asked.

Wally sighed. "I'm fine guys. Just…thinking."

Robin placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Nothing bad is going to happen," he said, as if reading his mind. "We won't let it."

Raven put her hood down.

"No…we won't."

Kid Flash smirked. He was truly lucky to have such good friends, and he knew it. He looked at Robin, then at Raven. He couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Yeah. Thanks, guys."

Robin returned the smile, turned and hopped on his motorcycle. "Meet you guys back at the tower," he said, and sped off. Kid Flash watched as Robin raced down the street and out of sight, then turned towards Raven. He quickly noted just how beautiful she looked in the setting sunlight.

He smiled again. "You ready to go?"

"Are you offering to give me a lift?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Only if you want."

Raven pondered for a few moments. 'What are you doing?' she asked herself. 'You know you can't afford to get too close to him. It's too dangerous…for both of you.'

She closed her eyes and turned her head away. Kid Flash's eyes narrowed.

'He's going through a hard enough time as it is. He doesn't need to deal with you on top of everything else.'

'But I…I like him…'

'NO! Find your center. Focus…don't let your guard down…'

Kid Flash gently lifted Raven's head back towards him. She opened her eyes and stepped back.

"Some other time, Kid Flash," she said, rather coldly. She put her hood up again, and flew up over Kid Flash's head and towards Titan's Tower. As Kid Flash watched her fly away, he felt his heart sink slightly.

'What was that all about?' he wondered.

After what had happened, he kind of hoped that he and Raven would get closer. He always had a thing for the "dark, mysterious" girls. First, it was Jinx. They had a thing for each other for the longest time, but after she moved to the Titans East, they just drifted apart, at least romantically.

But when Wally moved to Titan's Tower and met Raven, that was it. She was the most fascinating girl he had ever met. Not to mention beautiful, in that dark, mysterious sort of way. At first, she didn't take too kindly to the constant flirting and attention, so she'd try to get back at him during combat practice. But not even she could keep up with the Fastest Boy Alive. He'd always dart back and forth, tagging her lightly, playing with her. Even during a real battle, he'd always find the time to flirt a little before he got into the thick of a fight.

But when things got serious, so did he. He'd saved her more times that she could count, and after a few months with him, she grew to respect him. She even laughed once or twice at his jokes. Beast Boy was green with envy for weeks…pun intended. Over the course of the next several months, their friendship grew stronger. Now, with everything that's happened, and especially after what took place in her room earlier, Wally thought something could actually happen between them.

He sighed heavily.

"I guess not," he said softly.

He took off across the water towards the tower. As he raced up the side, he began feeling a strange tingling sensation. Like he was about to start…_vibrating_!

"Oh, no. Not now!"

As soon as he reached the top, he stopped cold and focused. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists, mustering every bit of concentration he had. The sensation slowly disappeared, thankfully, but for how long? Kid Flash opened his eyes.

"Savitar."

Kid Flash turned and raced into the tower. He blew past all his teammates and into his room, which was still a mess from this morning. After taking a few seconds to fix everything, Wally quickly checked his messages on his cell phone. Nothing from anyone. Not Uncle Barry, not Jay…not even Max.

'Weird,' he thought. Just where was Max, anyway? 'It's not like him to be late like this.'

All of a sudden, Wally's communicator started beeping. It was Robin.

"Wally, we need you to fill in the blanks on this Savitar guy. Meet us in the main lounge."

"On my way."

Wally put his communicator down and zoomed to the main lounge area, where the rest of the team was waiting. Wally got in front of everyone and leaned against one of the consoles. He noticed that everyone's eyes were on him…except Raven, who just looked at the floor.

Kid Flash cleared his throat and told his fellow Titans the story of Savitar, or at least what he knew of it. How he began digging into the science of speed. How he discovered the existence of the Speed Force, and how he and Max Mercury raced to meet it. How Max was able to throw him off course and into the time stream. And more importantly, how Savitar was stealing energy from other speedsters so he could reach the Speed Force…and create his own army.

"So, I got a question," said Cyborg. "If he's stealing speed to reach this force thing, or whatever, what's his problem with us?"

Kid Flash crossed his arms and glanced over at Raven, who was now looking right at him. The look on her face was hard to describe. It was like a mix between confusion and worry. He turned back towards Cyborg.

"I don't think they're after you guys. It's me they want."

Suddenly, the main monitor flipped on, and after a bit of static, a dark figure appeared on the screen. The Teen Titans stood up in unison, and Kid Flash spun around to see what was going on. The mysterious figure stepped into the light, and showed himself. Even though no one had ever seen him before, they all knew who he was. Kid Flash glared.

"Savitar."

The dark speedster laughed. "Very good, child. I cannot begin to tell you how hard it was to hack this frequency. My compliments to your system's security."

Robin stepped forward.

"Cut the small talk, Savitar. What do you want?" he growled.

Again, Savitar laughed. "It's quite simple, Robin. Yes I know who you are…all of you. The Teen Titans. Very catching."

All the Titans walked closer to the screen.

"I have no quarrel with you, Titans," said Savitar. "Except for the one called Kid Flash."

Kid Flash clenched his fists as Savitar continued.

"You see, this boy is very special. He has something that I want, something that I have not been able to take."

"And what, exactly, would that be?" demanded Starfire.

"Why, his speed, of course. Allow me to demonstrate…" chuckled Savitar, his eyes beginning to crackle with lightning.

Instantly, Kid Flash began to feel that tingling sensation again, only this time it was getting stronger by the second. As his muscles began to vibrate, he grabbed the console in front of him, concentrating as hard as could. But it was no use. The vibrations were too strong to contain. Kid Flash began to crackle with electricity himself as he grabbed his head and fell to his knees in pain.

"No…NO…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The rest of the Titans immediately tried to help him, but every time they got near, the electric aura that surrounded him zapped them. Savitar, although still concentrating, smirked.

"You see? His connection is so strong, I can hardly tap into it at all. The separation of speed from his body must be excruciating…HAHAHAHAHA!"

Raven looked on with the rest of the team as Kid Flash twisted and turned on his back. She tried to reach him, but every time she got close the electricity shocker her. She closed her eyes. 'The hell with it!' she thought. She dove right towards Kid Flash and grabbed him.

"Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!"

Suddenly, the aura that surrounded Kid Flash soon surrounded them both. A strange silver energy was illuminating from Raven's hands. The Titans knew exactly what she was doing. Raven was using her abilities to try and cancel out the connection between

Kid Flash and Savitar. However, there was a slight problem. In order for her to do this, she needed to transfer the pain he was experiencing to herself.

Upon seeing this, Savitar put all his effort into the connection. Both Kid Flash and Raven felt the side affects, as both of them screamed out in pain. Robin, furious that he couldn't do anything else, smashed the screen so Savitar couldn't enjoy his handiwork.

The lightning danced around the two heroes as Raven tried to sever the connection. She got up on her knees, pulled Kid Flash in towards her, and held him. She opened her eyes slightly to see that Kid Flash, still wincing from the pain, was now bleeding from his nose. She put her forehead to his and chanted again.

"AZARATH, METRION, ZINTHOS!"

_KRACK-A-BOOM!_

With an explosion of lightning, the connection was severed…for the moment. The aura vanished, and the pain disappeared. Raven, still holding tightly onto Kid Flash, opened her eyes. She looked up to see Cyborg and Robin rush over. They helped up their friends to their feet, and Raven reluctantly let go of Kid Flash.

Just then, Savitar's voice boomed over the loud speaker.

"Now you understand the nature of your powers, Kid Flash. And you also understand what I can do to them…and you. You have 24 hours to surrender yourself to me. Otherwise, I will unleash my entire army upon Jump City…and your friends. I await your arrival."

The console started beeping. Wally stumbled over to see that Savitar had transmitted coordinates to his fortress. He turned to his friends, who were both furious and concerned.

"Don't worry, Wally. He won't get away with this," assured Robin.

Wally nodded slowly. He was clearly dazed, and he was still bleeding, too. He turned to Cyborg.

"Wha…what happened, Cy? Last thing…I remember was…someone grabbed me. The…the pain…it got better…" he faded off.

Cyborg nodded and placed his hand on the speedster's shoulder.

"Easy, bro. It's over, at least for now."

Kid Flash nodded back. He tried to walk, but he collapsed against a chair. Savitar took more out of him than he thought. Robin rushed over and helped him back up.

"You may wanna take it easy, Wally. After what just happened, it's probably a good idea if you get some rest."

"Yeah, sure. Sounds like…a plan."

Robin helped Kid Flash down the corridor toward the medical wing.

"Almost there, Wally. We'll get you and Raven healed up in no time," replied the Boy Wonder.

Kid Flash stopped and stared at his old friend.

"What? Dick, what…what are you talking about?"

Robin got an equally confused look on his face.

"You don't know? It was Raven who helped you back there," he said as they continued on. "Pretty awesome, actually. She just threw herself in there, used her powers to block Savitar's hold on you."

Kid Flash didn't know how to take all of that at first. He had told her, flat out, not to do that. The last thing he wanted was to hurt anyone with this problem. But, at the same time, he couldn't blame her. After all, if their roles were switched, he would've done the same for her. In a heartbeat.

Slowly but surely, they made their way to the medical bay. Kid Flash felt himself getting slightly stronger, and stopped leaning on Robin. Just as they turned the corner, they bumped into Starfire and Raven. Star immediately smiled, grabbed Robin, and led him away giving Raven and Kid Flash time to talk alone.

Kid Flash was about to say something, but before he could get a word out, Raven threw her arms around him and sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you're okay," she murmured.

Kid Flash wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her her's.

"I'm glad I'm okay, too," he joked. Raven looked up at him a quirked an eyebrow.

"Still able to make jokes, I see."

"Yeah."

The empath wiped off the blood from the speedster's upper lip.

"You are okay, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Kid Flash gave her a slight squeeze and gently kissed her forehead.

"To be honest, I've never felt better."

* * *

HA! As good as the original felt, this one feels better. Tell me, what do you think?


	9. Chapter IX

Extended the fight scene a bit.

* * *

**Chapter IX**

* * *

**Somewhere in the Himalayas**

**22 hours until deadline**

Savitar wiped his hands clean of the blood. He was satisfied…at least for the time being. From the shadows behind him, he heard the sounds of chains rattling, and weak coughing.

"You…_kaff_…you think you'll win…you coward? He won't join you. Not even if…_kaff, kaff_…you sent every last man you had. He'll come at you with everything he's got. They…all will."

Savitar lifted his head.

"Oh, I know he will attempt such foolishness. But he will fail. And when Kid Flash learns that he cannot defeat me, he will accept the truth, and embrace his destiny. As for the Teen Titans, well, I do not see them as any real threat."

Max Mercury chuckled. "You should. They…_kaff…_they may be kids, but they're the toughest group of kids on this Earth. They'll take you down so fast, it'll make your head spin!"

"Silence! I have heard enough of your mouth for one day!"

With that, the dark speedster gave Max a lightning fast back hand. Max turned his head back towards Savitar and spat blood at him. Savitar merely smirked.

"Defiant to the end, Ahwehota? Good. I prefer it that way. I want to see you struggle when I kill you," he growled.

Savitar snapped his fingers, and instantly two of his disciples appeared. He pointed to Max.

"Take him back to the dungeons. I will…talk…with him later."

The cloaked men bowed before their master and did as he commanded. Once they left, Savitar walked to a console nearby. Punching in a few keys, he activated a large monitor on the wall. Playing on the screen was a recording of what happened at Titans' Tower a few short hours ago. Savitar paused at the moment when Raven grabbed a hold of Kid Flash to try and cut the connection. He narrowed his eyes.

"Hmmm…interesting," he said to himself.

Savitar pressed one of the buttons on the console. This time, a disciple with robes almost identical to Savitar's appeared. The cloaked figure kneeled before him. Savitar walked over and put his hand on the figure's shoulder.

"I have a very special task for you, my lieutenant. I want you to go to Jump City and gather as much information as you can about the other Teen Titans…especially her," he said, pointing to the image of Raven on the screen.

"Do not engage them directly," he continued, "unless you are discovered. Then return to me with your findings. The end game is fast approaching, my dear. We must prepare ourselves."

The cloaked figure rose. Savitar removed his disciple's hood to reveal a beautiful young girl, roughly 18. She had long, dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and a white lightning bolt painted down the center of her face. She looked up at her master.

"Your word is my will. I will not fail you, Lord Savitar," she said.

Savitar grinned. "For your sake, my dear Christina, you had better not. If you do, the consequences will be most…unpleasant."

The young girl ripped off her cloak, revealing a tight armored suit and two katanas on her back. With a quick bow, she disappeared in a gust of wind. Savitar picked up the cloak and smiled. With his lieutenant watching their every move, the Teen Titans were as good as defeated.

**Titans' Tower**

**19 hours until deadline**

The soft glow of candle light flickered as Raven entered a deep state of meditation. She had missed her normal morning session, and figured she was overdue.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

The outside world slowly disappeared around her as she focused her energy inward. Soothing, calming silence swept over her…

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Raven cringed at the loud noise that shook her from her relaxed state. She opened her eyes and glared at her door. Hovering over, she cracked it open to see Robin outside.

"What is it, Robin?"

The Boy Wonder smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh, hey Raven. Have you seen Kid Flash anywhere?"

"No. Did you try his room?"

"Yeah, no answer. I hope he didn't run off again."

Raven quirked an eyebrow. "I doubt it. After what's happened, he's probably just resting."

"Yeah, you're probably right. But let me know if you find him, okay?" said Robin.

Raven nodded and closed her door. Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A small smile came across her lips.

"I thought you were asleep," she whispered.

"And I thought I was gonna wake up in _my_ room," replied a groggy voice.

The beautiful empath turned and faced her guest. Wally rubbed the sleep from his eyes and smiled weakly. Raven shook her head and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"You needed rest, and my room was closer. I wasn't about to drag you all the way down the hall."

Kid Flash laughed under his breath and caressed her cheek. "Hey, I'm not complaining. It's just, well…with everything that's happened," he began.

Raven quickly put her finger over his mouth, silencing him. Wally instinctively raised an eyebrow.

"Wallace, we've been through that already," she said as she dropped her hand and grabbed his. "Don't push it, okay?"

A slightly amused face came across Wally. No one other than his grandfather had used his full name before, and it was unusual hearing it come from Raven. Still, she was right and he knew it, so he raised his free hand in defeat.

"Okay, Rae. You win," he replied with a smirk.

Raven squeezed his hand as she led him to her bed. They sat down and just looked at each other for a moment or two before Raven broke the silence.

"Any thought to what you're going to do next?" she asked. Wally just sighed deeply.

"Not sure. If I stay here, Savitar sends every last man after me. Even if we called in the

Titans East, I don't think we could hold them off. But at the same time, if I call his bluff and go to him, he could kill me."

Kid Flash looked into the empath's violet eyes. "And that would just really ruin my day, y'know?"

Raven glanced over to one of her pillows, and using her mystical telekinesis, sent it flying at Kid Flash's head.

"Hey! What was that for?" he asked. Raven stood up and smiled playfully.

"For being you," she replied. Just as she began to glide over to her bookshelf, that same pillow came sailing behind her and nailed her back. Raven spun around to find Kid Flash sitting on her bed, with an exaggerated innocent look on his face.

"What? I didn't do anything," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Raven's eyes glowed.

She lifted the pillow with her powers and hurled back towards the red headed speedster.

But Kid Flash's reflexes were faster, and he caught it before it could hit. He stood up and grinned menacingly.

"You should know better than to start a fight you can't win, Rae," he teased. Raven smiled and pointed behind him. Kid Flash turned his head to find all the other pillows hovering behind him.

"Uh-oh."

**Titans' Tower**

**16 hours until deadline**

Not one light was on in the entire tower. The corridors were pitch black. Underneath her mask, Christina smiled.

It was perfect.

As silent as the wind, she sped down the hallways to the main lounge. Once there, she pulled out a small PDA from her belt and plugged it into one of the computer consoles. After punching in a few codes at super speed, the tiny screen started to flash red.

"Security systems: deactivated," she whispered to herself.

Just as she stashed away the device, a small light appeared from the kitchen. Christina dashed towards the nearest corner, hoping her cover wasn't blown. From the shadows, she lifted her head slightly to see Cyborg raiding the fridge.

"Mmmm…nothing like pizza to satisfy a late night snack attack," said the bionic teen. As he walked over to the microwave, Christina contemplated whether or not to attack him. It would be so easy, with his back turned to her like this. However, even if she were successful, the commotion would no doubt wake the rest of the Titans.

While Cyborg stared intently at the pizza rotating in the microwave, Christina zoomed past him without making a sound. She ran through a few hallways and stopped cold when she noticed the names on the doors she was passing.

'Their rooms,' she thought.

Christina pulled out her PDA and scanned through it. She snuck over to the closest door and matched up the name with her device. She then stashed it away and began to vibrate.

With her molecules in constant flux, she phased through the wall with ease. Once on the other side, the speedster zipped into the closet…and gagged.

Beast Boy had meant to do his laundry. But when he saw that his download of Mega Monkeys 6 was complete, nothing else mattered. After playing for a few hours, he had collapsed on his bed and passed out, leaving his dirty laundry untouched in the back of his closet.

Christina snuck out of there as quietly…and quickly…as she could. She already knew Beast Boy's powers and talents by reputation, so there was no need to hang around that compost heap he called a room.

She dashed further down the hall to the next room. Once inside, she noticed how vacant the room looked. No desk, no chairs, nothing on the walls. Just a big, circular bed. Christina crept over to find a pair of feet on the pillow.

"The alien," she whispered.

The ninja pulled out her PDA and held it over the sleeping Tamaranian. A small green ray shot from underneath it and scanned over Starfire. Once it finished, Christina vibrated her molecules and phased out of the room. She repeated this process all through the tower.

She had a few close calls, though, especially in the children's room. Teether tended to be a light sleeper. But the stealthy speedster scanned and recorded all the necessary information that her master needed. There was just one more person she needed…

**Titans' Tower**

**15.5 hours until deadline**

Wally dragged his feet towards the kitchen. He was still ridiculously tired, but he was also just as hungry. And when it came down to it, food took precedence over sleep. He opened the fridge door and started to rummage through it. After finding some leftovers to snack on, he trudged back to his room.

As he walked down the hall, he glanced at each of the doors he passed. Starfire, Robin, Cyborg…Wally smirked. After a good night's rest, the Teen Titans were going to gather their strength and take the fight to Savitar.

Wally's smile widened as he came up to Raven's room. He stopped and looked at the closed door in front of him. A small part of him actually wanted to knock on her door, just so he could see her. But he knew that would be suicide. Raven hated to be disturbed…especially if she was sleeping.

Wally, still smiling, turned and began to walk away. But as he did, he heard a faint noise coming from inside. It sounded like something…electronic. Wally turned his head and looked at Raven's door once again. Raven didn't have many electronics in her room, and the ones she did have didn't make sounds like that. Something didn't feel right.

'Okay. One quick peek,' he thought.

Wally began to vibrate slowly…after what had happened, he was still a little hesitant. Once he got up to speed, he phased his head through the closed door. As soon as he did, he noticed a dark figure standing over Raven. In the figure's outstretched hand, there was a device that looked like it was scanning her.

Wally phased the rest of his body through and darted to the nearest corner. He peered around the corner of a bookshelf to find the figure drawing a katana from it's sheath. The figure removed her mask and glared down at the unconscious empath.

"Time to die, witch!" she hissed.

Wally kicked into hyper speed and charged Christina, spearing her right in the gut. The commotion caused Raven to abruptly wake up. She looked over to find Wally and

Christina struggling on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

Wally shouted back. "Raven! Sound the intruder alarm! NOW!"

Raven flew over to her communicator and pressed the necessary buttons, but nothing happened. Christina laughed as she kicked Wally off of her.

"Did you really think I would come to your tower and not be prepared? I've deactivated all your security systems. And now that I have what I came for, there's still one last piece of business."

The ninja blew past Wally and took down Raven. Christina drew her other katana and held it to Raven's throat.

"You would've proven to be the most troublesome of the Titans. Now, I will make sure you do not cause us any more problems."

The sword began to crackle with lightning as Christina bent down to Raven's ear. "I can smell him on you. You can't have him, you know. He's ours…he's mine!" she hissed.

Raven heard enough. Her eyes glowed as she entrapped Christina in an energy field and threw her back against the wall. Raven flew to her feet and grabbed her cloak. Christina began to vibrate at intense speeds, hoping to break Raven's hold on her. After a few seconds, it finally worked, and the ninja phased through the field…and the floor.

Upon seeing this, Wally turned to Raven and said "Rae, go wake everyone else. I'm going after her. This has gone on long enough!"

The speedster raised his fist. Raven noticed a gold ring on his middle finger. Wally pressed a tiny button on the side, and it opened. A familiar red and yellow suit came flying out, and in an instant, Wally West changed into Kid Flash. The Fastest Boy Alive

turned to the beautiful empath and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Wally. Now get moving, or you'll lose her," replied Raven.

Kid Flash nodded, and raced out of her room at top speed. Within a nanosecond, he was running across the bay, in hot pursuit of Christina. They were halfway across the country when Kid Flash finally caught up to her and tackled her. They tumbled for a mile or so and crashed into a nearby barn.

Kid Flash emerged from the splintered wood and hay, rubbing the back of his head. Just as soon as he got up, however, he was knocked back down by a swift jab. Kid Flash shook it off and looked up to find Christina standing over him, katanas drawn and ready.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Kid Flash," she said. "Join us. Be a part of a glorious journey. Savitar will show us the way! The way to power and immortality!"

Kid Flash dashed towards her and grabbed her wrists, attempting to wrestle the swords out of her hands. Kid Flash looked the ninja dead in the eyes and glared.

"After what you just pulled, you expect me to abandon my friends? Because some schmuck promises me power? I've heard it all before, honey!"

With lightning speed, Kid Flash kneed Christina's gut, and managed to get one of her swords. He then spun around behind her and put his blade to the back of her neck.

"And I wasn't interested the first time," he growled. "Now, _you_ stand down!"

Christina dropped to one knee and clutched her stomach. After taking a few seconds to regain her breath, she began to laugh.

"Oh, Kid Flash. It would've been…_kaff…_magnificent, you and me. What we could've created together…it's really a shame."

_KRACK!_

Kid Flash slid back a few feet from the blow. When he opened his eyes, he saw Christina coming right at him. Kid Flash instinctively swung the katana in his hand.

_KLANG!_

The two blades clashed together, and both speedsters stared at one another for a moment. Then, Christina began to swing her sword wildly. Kid Flash had never fenced or anything like that before, but he still managed to hold his own, parrying at super speed.

_KLANG! PING! KLANG!_

"You think you're happy with them, Kid Flash, but you're not!" shouted Christina as they fought. "They can never completely understand you the way we could!"

After blocking a few more attacks, their swords clashed together again. Through the electric aura of the blades, Kid Flash could see Christina's gaze.

"You may have feelings for that witch," she hissed. "But she'll _never_ satisfy you the way _I_ can…"

_KLANG!_

Christina's katana flew out of her hand and halfway across the county. Kid Flash then dropped his sword and speared the ninja to the ground. Kid Flash held her down, using one hand to hold both her hands behind her back, and the other to hold down her head. He grinned slightly.

'Gotta thank Dick for this move,' he thought.

Christina tried to vibrate out of his hold, but he matched her speed and maintained his grip. He pushed her head down into the dirt and asked "What were you doing to my friends?"

Normally, he wouldn't do this sort of thing to a female enemy…but he was pissed. He lifted her head back up so she could speak. After a few coughs, she choked out an answer.

"I…was analyzing your teammates. Their…_kaff, kaff_…powers and abilities. Then I was to report back to…Lord Savitar."

"Huh. Figures. He seems like the type who doesn't like to get his hands dirty. I _hate_ people like that."

_KRACK-A-BOOM!_

Kid Flash was launched into the air after that last blow. He landed several feet away, and when he got back up, his eyes narrowed intently.

"Well, speak of the devil," he replied dryly.

Standing over the muddy Christina was Savitar, along with a few dozen of his ninjas. He looked down at his lieutenant and smiled wickedly.

"Well done, my dear. You played your part magnificently," he said, his voice dangerously

low.

"My-my Lord! I did as you asked! I didn't mean for them to-"

_KRACKOOM!_

A bolt of lightning came blazing down upon the pretty young ninja. Within seconds, she incinerated. Kid Flash looked on in horror as Savitar chuckled softly.

"You inhuman son of a-"

"Now, now. Such language…not very becoming of a young hero."

Kid Flash clenched his fists. He had just about enough of this. The manipulation, the torture…the _killing_. He sprinted towards Savitar, but the dark speedster proved faster, and side stepped him. Kid Flash skidded to a stop and tried again. This time, Savitar gave him a quick back hand that sent him flying back.

"The time has come, Kid Flash. Whether you like it or not, you are coming with me. Tonight, we will fulfill both our destinies!" cried the crazed Savitar.

Kid Flash propped himself on his elbows. He glared at Savitar, who pointed to him and said to his ninja lackeys "Subdue him!"

Just as the group of speedster ninjas descended upon him, however, a small dome of black energy appeared and repelled the thugs before they could reach him. Kid Flash smiled…he knew exactly who just saved him. He turned his head and looked behind him.

There, all together, stood the Teen Titans. Kid Flash even noticed the Titans East among the ranks. And hovering above all of them, her eyes glowing, was Raven. She looked down at Kid Flash, then glared menacingly at Savitar.

"Leave. Him. ALONE!"

* * *

The changes are slight, but I think they work better. What about you?


	10. Chapter X

Well, I'm back. It's been a long time, but I'm that much closer. So, Here we go...

Disclaimer: Pretty sure I don't own them, although I've tried

* * *

**Chapter X**

* * *

The sky grew dark. Thunder echoed through the clouds, and rain began to drizzle down towards the earth. And beneath it all stood two groups of people.

One, hell bent on world domination and knowledge of ultimate speed. The other, determined to stop them dead in their tracks. The stage was set, and the players were ready. With an evil grin, the director of this twisted play gave the word.

"Kill them all."

All at once, Savitar's ninjas drew their weapons and sprinted towards the heroes in front of them. Lightning crackled in the sky as Savitar laughed. Perhaps he thought the battle was over before it began? As he would soon find out, the night was not going to be _that _easy.

"Teen Titans, GO!"

Robin, hand outstretched, pointed to the charging ninja. The Titans reacted swiftly as the wind, running and flying towards them. Their yells could be heard from miles away.

_KRACK-A-BOOM!!!_

The impact from the clash was shattering. Swords swinging every which way, blasts of fire and energy flying through the air, gusts of wind blowing all around. And in the middle of it all, two figures remained still.

Savitar sneered as Kid Flash rose to his feet. The two speedsters just stared at each other for a moment, all the while an epic battle raged around them. Savitar removed his cloak and adjusted his gauntlets.

"Well, child, the time has finally come," said the dark speedster. Kid Flash clenched his fists.

"What are you talking about?"

"Tonight, I shall become one with the lightning. The undisputed _god_ of speed. And you, Kid Flash, will aid me!"

"Like hell I will!" cried the Fastest Boy Alive. He sprinted towards Savitar with both fists forward. But as fast as he moved, Savitar proved faster, as he side stepped the teen with ease. Kid Flash skidded to a stop and dashed back towards him. With all his might, he threw a hard right at Savitar, but all he hit was air.

_KRACK!!_

Wally felt a hard blow on the back of his neck. He fell to his hands and knees, and coughed up a little blood. Glaring up, he saw Savitar standing tall over him, arms crossed and grinning.

"You are swift, child. But you still have much to learn. Let me teach you the true nature of your powers," he offered. Kid Flash noticed a nice sharp rock on the ground. He grabbed it and hurled it at Savitar as fast as he could. It struck him dead between the eyes, leaving a gaping wound. Savitar flew his head back and cried out in pain.

"That a clear enough answer for you?!" yelled Kid Flash as he rose to his feet again.

Savitar lifted his face from his hands and snarled. His eyes began to crackle with lightning. Kid Flash began to feel that all too familiar sense of vibration in his body. He clenched his fists and concentrated as hard as he could, but it was no use. He began to vibrate out of control, his body crackling with electricity and his entire nervous system racked with pain.

"AAAAAAAH!!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Man, this is gettin' real old, real fast!" yelled Cyborg as he blasted a group of ninjas into the air. A gust of wind blew to his back, and the Bionic Bruiser felt a sharp shock to his back.

"YAAAAH! You gonna pay for that!"

Cyborg spun around, his arm cannon charged and ready. But no one was there.

_KRACKOOM!!_

What seemed to be a lighning bolt came crashing down on him. Cyborg instinctively raised his arm to block it.

_KLANG!_

The ninja's blade clashed with his forearm so hard, it cracked his armor and broke the sword in half. The ninja looked at his broken hilt then looked up. Cyborg's eye glowed a dangerous deep red.

"My turn, punk!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Robin saw a flash of blue light...and a single ninja almost get launched into orbit. He smirked as he tossed his bola at the ninja coming at him. The cord found it's target and wrapped around the speedster's legs, tripping him.

While the Boy Wonder dealt with his foes, Beast Boy and Speedy were double teaming a group behind him. The ninjas proved to be difficult, as they ran circles around the boys, hitting them as they moved. But as he got up, Beast Boy smirked.

"Dude, you might wanna take a step back!" he called to Speedy as he morphed into a kangaroo. He then jumped up as high as he possibly could, and in midair transformed into a giant elephant. Beat Boy came crashing down with such an impact, the entire earth seemed to shake.

The ninja flew in every direction, and once they landed, they got knocked out cold thanks to a few concussion arrows from Speedy. Still, one managed to get up even after all that, and raced towards the teen archer. He drew his katana.

_KA-POW!!_

The speedster got knocked flat on his rear. Beast Boy morphed back to normal and scratched his head. "Dude...how'd you do that? He was bookin' it."

Speedy smirked, slung his bow over his shoulder, and picked up his trademark boxing glove arrow. Beast Boy smiled sheepishly.

"Oh."

Meanwhile, Jinx and Bumblebee were having troubles. This particular group was _really _good. They were almost invisible, they moved so fast. As soon and Bumblebee could shoot her stingers, or as fast as Jinx could cast a spell, they'd vanish in a gust of wind. The girls soon found themselves in a vortex of fists. But through it all, they wouldn't quit. Bumblebee still managed to get in a few good stings, and Jinx wasn't a slouch in the martial arts department, either.

Even so, the clan proved too much for them, as the ninja tossed their enemies through the air and down to the ground. They stopped and drew their weapons. But, instead of speeding towards them in usual fashion, they calmly walked over. They wanted them to think about it first.

And think they did.

Jinx swept her hands over the ground. Once the waves of pink energy hit, the earth began to crack and crumble beneath the masked speedsters. They tried to scatter, but it's hard to run away when there's nothing to run on. The ninja fell through the giant crater that had just appeard, and as they fell, Bumblebee circled around and blasted the few that managed to escape.

Overhead, two familar figures flew towards yet another clan. They released a combined beam of green and black energy to the speeding ninja. But they scattered before it hit, and kept racing towards them. Starfire and Raven looked at each other.

"They seem to be getting faster," Starfire said. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know, Starfire. And honestly, I don't care," replied Raven. Her hands begand to glow a bright white. She closed her eyes and focused her powers on her enemies. In the back of her mind, however, she thought about about how all this was effecting her...and Wally. The attempts on their lives, the way Savitar tortured Wally, what Christina had said before Savitar killed her. Raven was tired, worried, and _angry_. But instead of holding these emotions back, she used them as fuel for her spell. It was very dangerous, but she didn't care.

"Azarath...Metrion...ZINTHOS!!!"

A sphere of white energy grew around her. Starfire flew out of the way, the concerned look on her face growing. The sphere surrounding Raven then exploded with waves going in all directions. Everyone on the ground turned their heads in time to see a wave of white energy race toward them. Both ninja and Titans ducked and braced themselves as the wave passed over the field. But surprisingly, it traveled through everyone without harm. Once they all checked themsleves, the army of ninja resumed their attack. But as they ran towards the Titans, they noticed a difference.

Their speed was gone.

The ninja stopped dead and glanced at one another. They then lowered their weapons and looked over at the Titans, their eyes wide with fear.

"How can this be?!" one of them hissed. "It is impossible!"

Raven floated down to the ground, her black aura surrounding her. The rest of the Titans gathered behind her.

"No, it isn't," she said in a dangerous tone.

She was about to release another spell when she heard a sharp yell in the distance. She turned her head towards the sound, her eyes wide. She knew exactly who that was.

"Wally..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The pain seemed to race through his body like blood. As he dropped to his hands and knees, Kid Flash opened an eye to see Savitar barrel towards him.

_WHAM!!_

At super speed, Savitar kicked Kid Flash square in the abdomen and launched him several feet away. The red headed speedster landed hard on his back and rolled a few more feet before stopping. As the dust settled, Kid Flash tried to stand up, but his body was still vibrating violently. Before he could get to his knees, a barrage of fists came down on him. Savitar pounded away at him, all the while continuing to make his body vibrate. After one final punch that drove him into the dirt, Savitar stopped and grabbed Kid Flash by the throat, bringing him up to his face.

"I gave you a chance to avoid all of this. A chance to achive immoratlity with me! And this is your answer? You dare spit in my face?!" screamed a furious Savitar as he tossed a battered Kid Flash back to the ground. The lightning in the dark speedster's eyes dimmed, then vanished. Almost immediately, the vibrations Kid Flash felt dissapeared. He slowly got to his knees, then staggered to his feet. His suit was ripped and torn, and his body was cut and bruised.

"Is...i-is that...the best you got?!" he called out. "I...I've had worse d-during training! Come on, you son of a bitch! BRING IT!"

Savitar bore his teeth and growled like a rabid animal. He clenched his fists, and his entire body began to illuminate with electricity. He took off in a dead sprint towards the red and yellow clad teen.

"Insolent brat! I WILL RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!!"

_KRACK-A-BOOM!!!!_

Savitar flew back into the air and landed hard on his head. Wally stood there, baffled. It hurt him to breathe, let alone to defend himself. He looked around to see if one of his teammates had helped him out. As he turned his head, he saw a white and blue streak blow past him. The streak came blazing around and stopped in between Kid Flash and Savitar. A large cloud of dust came up, and Wally squinted to try and see through it. He knew it was a speedster who saved him, but the question was _who_? Savitar wanted to know this too, as he quickly got up and rubbed his chin. The cloud disappeared, and Kid Flash smirked.

Standing tall in front of Savitar was Max Mercury, his eyes focused on the evil speedster.

"If it's a fight you're looking for, Savitar, then try starting one with me!"

Max took off towards Savitar and delivered a hard right cross. Savitar spun around, dazed. Max followed up by giving him a vibrating upercut that sent him flying back up. As soon as he landed Max grabbed his ankles, spun around at top speed, and threw Savitar what seemed to be a mile away. As Max took off after him, Kid Flash stumbled forward. He wanted to help, but Savitar had beaten him badly. Dazed and weak, he collapsed to his knees. He looked up to see two streaks of lightning zig-zagging in the distance. Everytime they collided, the impact would shake the earth.

"Get him, Max," he whispered to himself.

Suddenly, a gust of wind came blowing behind him. Kid Flash looked over his shoulder to see three ninja standing behind him, their swords drawn and ready. Wally knew he wouldn't be able to fend off all of them, yet he still rose to his feet and prepared himself. One of the ninja chuckled menacingly.

"Such a fool. Don't you know death when you see it?"

But as they darted towards him, a black wall came in between them and repelled the ninja with ease. Kid Flash looked up to see Raven hovering overhead, her eyes glowing a bright white. She outstretched her hand and shot several balls of her mystic energy at the ninja. They managed to dodge these, however, and began to retreat. Once again, she shot more energy balls at the fleeing speedsters, but this time ahead of them. The ground exploded underneath them and they flew in every direction. Once they landed, the rest of the Titans rounded them up with the rest of the ninja army, and put them in a special containment field that both Cyborg and Jinx made. Kid Flash looked at his fellow Titans, then up at Raven. He smiled weakly, then collapsed again. This time, however, a black field appeared and stopped him from hitting the ground. Raven quickly flew down, kneeled and took him up in her arms.

"Wally? Oh, no...Wally?!"

Raven removed her hood and lightly slapped Kid Flash's face, but the red headed speedster was still out cold. A look of fear and concern grew in Raven's face.

"C'mon, Wally. Wake up! Please..."

The empath placed a hand over Kid Flash's forehead and closed her eyes. A soft blue aura glowed from it as Raven concentrated. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and looked at him. He hadn't moved at all.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," she chanted softly. The blue aura washed over Kid Flash's body and grew brighter. Raven's eyes began to glisten with tears as she continued. She moved her hand down to his chest while she put her forehead to his.

"Please, Wally," she whispered. "Wake up. Please don't..." Her voice trailed off. She clenched his chest as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"...don't leave me..."

_KRACKOOM!!!_

Lightning crackled around Kid Flash as his eyes shot open. Raven instinctively drew back, not knowing what to expect. The aura surrounding Kid Flash changed from a soft blue to a sharp, bright yellow. The speedster grabbed the hand on his chest and squeezed. Kid Flash tilted his head back and opened his mouth. Lightning shot from both his eyes and mouth. Raven tightened her grip on him, scared for both their sakes.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!!" Kid Flash screamed.

_KRACKOOOOOM!!!!_

In an explosion of light, it was over. The rest of the Teen Titans, lead by Robin, raced over to see if their friends were all right. They tried to look beyond the clouds of dust and smoke. And sure enough, there was Raven holding tightly onto Kid Flash. The Fastest Boy Alive slowly sat up off of Raven's lap and looked at her. The beautiful empath cupped his cheek and smiled softly.

"Wally...I thought you were..."

She never finished. Kid Flash had already placed his lips on her's. Even though they were in the middle of battle, and a short distance away two speedsters were locked in a deadly fight, time still seemed to stop. Raven didn't know what else to do, so she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Amidst the storm around her, as well as inside of her, for the first time she felt...free.

"Oh, how glorious!"

Wally and Raven pulled apart and glanced up to see their friends standing over them, all with knowing smiles on their faces. Robin and Starfire helped the two to their feet.

"I'm guessing you two are okay," said Robin with a coy grin. Raven's cheeks blushed to a light pink. Kid Flash scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh...yeah. I'm feeling a lot better, actually."

_WHOOOSH!!!_

A blast of wind blew past the heroes. Lightning danced around them as thunder clashed in the air. Suddenly, a white and blue streak came barreling towards them. But before it hit, it skidded to a stop just before the group. When the dust settled, Max Mercury lay in a bloody heap. Kid Flash darted to him and helped him up.

"Max! You okay? Where's Savit-"

_WHOOOSH!!!_

The speedsters looked up to see Savitar standing before them, himself cut and bruised. He glared at Kid Flash and the Teen Titans, then back at Max. His fists clenched and he bore his teeth.

"You are finished, Ahwehota. All of you are. You may have defeated my ninja army, but you will never beat me!"

"No. _We_ won't," replied Max with a grin. He quickly grabbed Kid Flash's wrist. His entire body began to crackle with electricy.

"But _he_ will!"

_KRACK-A-BOOOM!!!_

Both speedsters lit up with energy. Raven and the rest of the Titans backed away, not knowing what to expect. As bolts of lightning danced around them, Kid Flash began to feel a strange sensation. As though he were getting stronger..._faster._ Max tightened his grip as the aura surrounding them grew.

"Almost there, Wally! Hang on!"

"What do you mean 'Almost there?' Max, what are you doing?!"

Max grinned. "A little trick I learned years ago! I'm giving you my speed!"

Kid Flash's eyes widened. _That's_ the sensation he was experiencing. 'Now it all makes sense!' he thought. Max closed his eyes and gripped harder. Kid Flash closed his eyes, too, and braced himself.

_ZAP!! BAM!! KRACKOOOOM!!!_

With one last burst of electric energy, it was over. A huge cloud of dust rose up, blocking the two speedsters from view. The Titans stepped forward cautiously. Both Raven and Robin silently hoped that Kid Flash was okay. On the other side of the dust cloud, Savitar approached with fists clenched and eyes blazing.

"Do you think that pathetic light show will change anything, boy? You are too weak to handle the raw power of the Speed Force! You, Ahwehota, the Teen Titans...all of you will bow to me!"

Suddenly, the evil maniac found himself surrounded by the team of teens. Robin and Raven flanked him, ready to pounce. "You know what I'm really sick of?" said the Boy Wonder. "Bad guys like you who don't know when to shut the hell up!" With incredible quickness, Robin flung a barrage of birdarangs at Savitar. They passed by his head, flying towards Raven, who in turn charged them with her power and sent them hurling back. But Savitar's reflexes proved too quick. He caught them all, and sent them soaring back to the two Titans.

_CRACK!! SHRIP!!_

The weapons found their marks as both Robin and Raven fell to their knees, wounded. Before the rest of the Titans could counter-attack, Savitar took off towards the dusty haze in front of them. But as soon as he entered, there was a loud _KRACK! _and the dark speedster came flying out. He landed hard and rolled several feet before stopping. Raven managed to glide over to Robin and, using her powers, quickly healed themselves. As they helped each other up, both they and Savitar looked over at the dissipating cloud. Throught the dust, they all could see a soft white light coming from it. And as the dust settled, the light got brighter and brighter. Finally the cloud swept away in the wind. Once it did the Teen Titans all grinned...and Savitar gasped.

Standing over an unconcsious Max Mecury was Kid Flash, his body crackling with a blazing white aura of electricity. His eyes glowed and equally dangerous white. Gravity itself seemed to vanish around him as pebbles and stones lifted off the ground, as did Max's body. Kid Flash's eyes remained fixed on Savitar, who rose to his feet and began to back away in fear.

"What...how is this possible? It can't be...!" he blurted out.

But it was. Max had successfully transfered his own power to Kid Flash. And with their combined speed, he was ready to finish what Savitar started...

* * *

Oh man...this is it! The final showdown! For those of you who have waited this long...thank you. As Savitar said a few chapters back: The endgame is fast approaching...


	11. Chapter XI

Hey guys! I'm back, and I'm better than ever! Well...that's up for you to decide.

Disclaimer: You all know the drill by now

* * *

**Chapter XI**

* * *

This feeling…it was beyond anything that Kid Flash had ever felt before. Everything around him was moving slower. He hadn't even kicked into hyper speed yet, and already the world was slowing down. He began walking towards Savitar, who in turn was backing away.

"You stole speed from other speedsters, you attack me and my friends, and you beat Max within an inch of his life," stated Kid Flash as he stopped walking. The aura of lightning around him, while already intense, grew even bigger. The rest of the Titans, Robin and Raven in particular, watched intently. Kid Flash's glare on Savitar intensified.

"You honestly thought I'd let that slide?"

_ZWHISH!_

Faster than anyone could blink, he vanished. Savitar shook his head, stunned. Kid Flash had moved so fast, not even _he_ saw him move. He began looking around feverishly, still processing all that had just happened.

"What…? Wh-where are you? I…I don't…show yourself!"

_KRACK!_

Savitar whirled back several feet, dazed. He had no idea what direction Kid Flash was attacking from. He couldn't even feel his aura when he got near. He was moving _that_ fast.

_WHOOOSH!_

A gust of wind to Savitar's back. The dark speedster spun around, yet no one was there.

_ZWHIIIP! WHOOOSH! ZWHIISH!_

Gusts of wind and dust started appearing all over. Raven looked around, and could've sworn she'd caught a glimpse of Kid Flash. But just as soon as he appeared, he vanished again. It was as if he were ghost. A mirage. In any case, he was toying with Savitar, that much was certain. And the dark speedster had enough of it.

"Show yourself, you sniveling brat!" he shouted.

_KRACKOOOM!_

The sharp blow on his jaw caused Savitar to fly into the air and land hard on his back. As he sat up, he spit out a good amount of blood. 'This is insane,' he thought. 'Ahwehota was weak! Where did he get this kind of power to give to the boy?'

_WHOOOSH!_

A cloud of dust blew over Savitar. He looked up to see Kid Flash, eyes glowing white and piercing his own. Before Savitar could do anything, Kid Flash began circling him at super sonic speeds, unleashing a barrage of vibrating fists all over his body.

The Titans watched from a distance as a cyclone of dust and lightning rose around Savitar. Raven noticed larger rocks and boulders were being swept in as well. The teen heroes felt themselves being sucked into the vortex Kid Flash was making.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

A black field of energy expanded from Raven's hands and encased the rest of the team, protecting them from the vortex outside. Safely behind Raven's force field, they continued to watch and cheer as Kid Flash pummeled Savitar.

_KRACK! POW! WHACK! KRACKOOOM!_

Kid Flash was relentless. He was running so fast, he managed to make Savitar levitate off the ground, all the while beating the snot out of him. Finally, Kid Flash stopped, and the vortex dissipated. Savitar fell back to the ground, a bloody mess but still conscious. As Raven dropped her field and the Titans came rushing over, Kid Flash stood over Savitar, his aura crackling with lightning.

"It's over, Savitar. Give it up," he said.

The would-be Lord of Speed struggled to get up. He had been battered and beaten even worse than Max. The dark master of lightning tried to pull himself up, but couldn't. He looked up at Kid Flash and the rest of the Teen Titans.

"You…you th-think…this is the end? Do…do you? I'm not d-done…yet!" he stammered.

"Yeah? You look pretty done to me, ugly!" chimed in Speedy.

Cyborg agreed. "Kid Flash here handed you your ass, old timer! Winner, by way of knockout!"

The rest of the Titans began to cheer. Slowly but surely, Kid Flash powered down his aura. He turned to see his friends crowd around him.

"Aw, dude! I've never seen that before in my life!" exclaimed Beast Boy. "That looked like it hurt!"

"And that, BB, is why we call it an ass-kickin'," replied Bumblebee with a smirk. The rest of the Titans cheered in agreement.

Kid Flash turned around and saw Robin and Raven with smiles on their faces. They both made their way towards him and stopped. Robin put his hand on Kid Flash's shoulder.

"Nicely done, Wally," he said.

Wally just smirked and nodded. He glanced over to Raven, who just smiled right back. Robin glanced between the two of them, cleared his throat and ushered everyone else back.

"Okay, guys. Let's, uh…give 'em some room, huh?"

Wally and Raven continued to stare at each other. Raven moved closer, and cupped his cheek with her hand. Wally instinctively grabbed it and squeezed lightly.

"You're all right?" Raven asked softly.

"Yeah, I will be," confirmed Wally with a smile. "Thanks for having my back."

Raven smiled. "I'll always have your back," she replied. She then moved in closer, looking to repay the kiss he had planted on her earlier.

_KRAACK!_

Kid Flash went flying to the side violently, stunning Raven. He skidded to a stop, then looked over to see Savitar, apparently rejuvenated, and standing back up. His eyes crackled electric blue as he laughed. The Teen Titans all spun around to see what was going on.

"What the…? I thought he was out for the count!" exclaimed Cyborg.

Robin unsheathed his bow and popped out a few bird-a-rangs. "Looks like round two!"

Raven began to conjure her energy, but Savitar proved quicker, darting out of the way before any of their attacks could hit. He then charged Raven, struck her in the abdomen, and followed up with a swift backhand that sent her flying towards the rest of the team.

Kid Flash kipped up, then charged his own electric aura. His eyes crackled white and, as before, pebbles and rocks began to defy gravity as he powered up.

He wasn't going to waste any more words on this guy. No…it's time for action.

Kid Flash charged full speed, ramming into Savitar with enough force to disintegrate steel. He then repeated what Savitar just did: struck him in the abdomen, then delivered a super sonic backhand.

Savitar reeled, but came about and sprinted towards Kid Flash, both fists extended. Kid Flash side stepped, but Savitar's experience shined through when he stopped dead, and delivered a side kick right to Kid Flash's jaw.

This attack sent Kid Flash back several feet. He quickly regained his bearings just in time to see Savitar attack the Titans.

"Heads up!" screamed Cyborg as Savitar tore through their ranks. Energy blasts, star bolts, fireballs…all were too slow to stop the dark speedster. Within seconds, the Teen Titans were down, some unconscious but all injured.

"As you can see, boy, I have gotten my second wind. And as far as your new found power? Well, yes, you did have the upper hand before. But what I'm sure you didn't know is that is dissipates after time."

Kid Flash's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. Just trying to buy more time," he said as he took off for another attack. This time, however, it was Savitar who side stepped and landed another side kick to Kid Flash's ribs.

'What the hell?' he thought as he got up. 'How'd he dodge that? I'm faster than him, now that I got Max's power, too.' The Fastest Boy Alive turned around, only to be met by Savitar's fists. The blow sent him flying back several hundred feet.

Kid Flash spat out the excess blood from his mouth and rose to his feet. 'Maybe it is true. Maybe it does wear off after time,' he pondered. 'If that _is_ the case, than I need to bring him down before I slow up any further!'

A cloud of dust came into view on the horizon. It was getting larger and larger with every nanosecond.

"Okay, you bastard. Come on!"

Savitar charged at full speed, attempting to repeat his last blow. But the teen fell back, grabbed a hold of Savitar's wrists, and monkey flipped him at the speed of sound. As soon as he landed, Kid Flash rushed him, stomping him into the ground. Savitar retaliated by vibrating until the ground began to crumble beneath them.

Kid Flash lost his footing, allowing Savitar to get up and take a swing at him. But Kid Flash dodged, spun around, and elbowed Savitar in the back of the head. He fell to his knees, dazed. Kid Flash followed up with a swift front kick that shot Savitar back into the air.

Kid Flash immediately took off after him. Before Savitar could hit the ground, Kid Flash encircled him, creating another vortex. As before, Kid Flash started throwing lefts and rights at super speed. This time, however, Savitar was a bit more prepared.

He managed to block most of the punches, matching Kid Flash's speed. Finally, he caught a hold of Kid Flash's wrist, stopping the teen in his tracks.

"You are losing your edge, boy," he sneered. "It's only a matter of time now…HAHAHAHA!"

Savitar's eyes began to crackle brighter than ever before. Then, a shot of lightning came crashing down upon them. Savitar's grip tightened as he laughed menacingly. Kid Flash tried to break his hold, but he suddenly felt himself getting weaker…slower. He dropped to one knee as the blue electricity danced around them.

"What…what's happening?"

Savitar looked down at his young foe. "I am finally taking what always should have been mine! Your speed!"

_KCHOWW!_

As if on cue, a wave of energy came sweeping over the two speedsters. The wave was strong enough to knock Savitar off his feet, allowing Kid Flash to break his grip. They both looked over to see the Teen Titans in the distance. Raven, Cyborg, and Starfire had their arms outstretched.

"Now _that's_ what I call packin' a punch!" grinned Cyborg.

Robin stepped forward. "Back off, Savitar! As long as we're still standing, we won't let you win!"

"Then I suppose it's time to make sure you and your friends stay down!" retorted Savitar.

The dark speedster took off in a dead sprint towards the teenage heroes. Robin braced himself for the coming assault.

_WHOOOOSH!_

Savitar blew through their ranks and swept them all into his speed stream. After a few seconds, they abruptly skidded to a halt. Robin got up and looked around to see a mountainous terrain, covered in snow. He then turned his head to see Savitar in the distance.

"Welcome to my back yard, Teen Titans! This is where you will all die!"

Robin, un-phased, stretched his hand out towards the evil zealot.

"Titans, GO!"

Cyborg charged his sonic cannon and shot the ground ahead of them, causing it to break apart. This didn't slow Savitar, who darted and dodged the fissures and debris. He reached the bionic bruiser, delivered a vibrating spin kick, and finished up with a super sonic uppercut.

He then turned his attention to Starfire and Beast Boy. The Tamaranian warrior flew up and launched a hail of star bolts at the evil speedster. He avoided these with relative ease, making his way to Beast Boy. Before the green teen could morph into anything useful, Savitar stunned him with a quick jab and then tossed him away before he could blink. He looked up at Starfire, grinned, and clapped his hands together, making a sonic boom. The shockwave stunned Starfire enough that she dropped to the ground, and into Savitar's clutches.

"Enjoy your trip, my dear," he hissed, as he head butted her, spun around and launched her into the sky. Upon seeing this, Robin charged angrily and swung his bow with all his might.

All he hit was air.

_KRACK! WHAM! KCHOOOW!_

Savitar's fists were barely visible during the assault. Robin valiantly tried to block the attacks, but it was no use. He may have had experience dealing with speedsters, but he certainly couldn't move like them. After a few seconds, he was down. Savitar's gaze then turned towards Raven.

"And now, for the pièce de résistance," he growled.

Meanwhile, Kid Flash struggled to get to his feet. He had used up a lot of Max's energy during his assault, and whatever was left was stolen by Savitar. He stumbled about as he looked around. He couldn't see any of his friends anymore. As if they had all disappeared. He took a few steps forward…and collapsed to his knees once more.

"Gah…I can't. I'm too…son of a…"

Kid Flash fell forward. After everything he had been through, all the bad guys he and his friends had taken down, it looked like the end was finally here.

"Guys…Dick…Raven…I'm sorry…"

_KRACK-A-BOOOM!_

A monstrous bolt of yellow lightning shot down and struck the teen speedster with such force, the ground split tin two. Kid Flash felt himself being lifted up into the air as he heard a voice inside his head.

'_It's not over yet, kiddo,' _rang the voice. _'You still need to finish this race. No quitting now.'_

Kid Flashes eyes widened as he felt himself get stronger and stronger. He had heard that voice before.

"No way…Max? It can't be you! How…?"

'_Later, kid. For now…GET A MOVE ON!'_

In an explosion of lightning and energy, Kid Flash hit the ground and gunned it, somehow knowing exactly where to run. One way or another, this was going to end.

Every race has to have a finish line.

_KRACKOOM!_

_He was approaching near light speed by now. _

Kid Flash kicked into high gear.

_He had to get to them…they needed his help._

Time seemed to freeze in place.

_Just a few more miles. He could make it._

The air around him blazed with lightning.

_They're counting on him._

Kid Flash's eyes narrowed as he focused.

_He blows past the mountains of New Zealand, rockets through Malaysia, blasts through the snows of the Himalayas._

Blood started to drip from his nose as he pushed himself.

_Finally, they come into view. His teammates…his friends._

Savitar, about to unleash the last fatal blow to Raven, suddenly turns to see a streak of lightning racing towards them.

_The Teen Titans._

_KRACKOOOM!_

Kid Flash slammed into Savitar, grabbing him by the throat and held him at arms length in front of him, using him as a makeshift windshield. All the while continuing at near light speed.

"ARGH! Wha…you?"

Kid Flash glared. "You wanna unlock all the secrets, Savitar? You wanna join the Speed Force? You wanna meet God?"

His muscles tore and howled with pain as he pushed himself further then he ever had before.

"Then let's go meet him together! I'LL DRIVE!"

* * *

Another chapter completed! Special thanks goes to Kinsley24 for helping me get my inspiration back! Well, don't just sit there...you know where the review button is.


	12. Chapter XII

Whoo, buddy! This is it, I tell ya! This is it! A very special thanks to all who stuck it out with me during this long journey. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated

Disclaimer: ...yeah, right

* * *

**Chapter XII**

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

Raven shot out a barrage of black energy towards her charging enemy. She was determined to bring this man down, the same man who had just taken out all of her teammates. Her friends.

_ZWHIISH! BLAM! WHOOSH!_

With ease and grace, Savitar slipped and slid through the empath's attacks. He sneered as he came up on her, and smacked her across the jaw. This sent her whirling back, losing her focus for her spell. Not wanting to give an opportunity to rally, Savitar rushed her and tackled her to the ground. He was obviously bigger than her, so pinning her down wasn't a problem.

"Struggle all you like, my dear. It won't help you."

Raven glared up at her enemy. "Get. Off. ME!"

With a thunderous force, Raven blasted Savitar off of her and into the air. As he fell, Savitar regained his focus and landed gracefully on his feet. He straightened up and grinned menacingly.

"Very impressive, Raven. That is your name, correct?"

"Yeah. And there's more where that came from."

"Oh, no doubt. But why fight when we can help one another?"

Raven dug her feet in as she took a fighting stance. She had heard all kinds of offers before. Slade…the Brotherhood of Evil…Brother Blood…her father. She wasn't about to let this yahoo try it, too.

"You see, I can help you get that which you've always wanted," Savitar continued as he walked around her.

"I've heard it all before, Savitar. Nice try," replied the empath. With that, she conjured a ball of her black energy and sent it hurling towards the dark speedster. He dodged it with ease, but when it hit the ground, it scattered into hundreds of black energy bolts. It took nearly all of Savitar's skill to dodge and avoid them all.

"Please, my dear. I was talking about you and Kid Flash," he replied.

Raven hesitated when he said that. She thought of how this all started. Wally keeping his painful vibrating episodes to himself. How she found out, and how he confronted her. Finding out it was Savitar who was responsible. Growing closer with Wally…

"Wally…"

_KRACK!_

Raven fell back from the sudden blow. As she sat up and rubbed her chin, she looked up to see Savitar standing over her, eyes blazing with blue lightning.

"Enough of this. Heed me, empath. You clearly have West's heart. You think I didn't see those displays of affection earlier?"

"Shut up."

"If you were to join me…embrace the Speed Force, as I have…then together, we could turn Kid Flash to the truth! True, you do not possess the speed, but I can bestow it upon you. And combined with your natural abilities…"

_ZWAAP!_

A beam of energy shot from Raven's hand and struck her target. Savitar was blown back and skidded in the snow several feet before coming to a stop. He sat up, wiped the blood from his upper lip, and sneered.

"So powerful. So elegant…no wonder he holds you so dear," he said as he rose to his feet. "You really are a beautiful young woman, Raven. It is a pity it has to be this way."

_ZWHIISH!_

Savitar rushed her, unleashing super speed punches as he ran back and forth. Although she tried to muster up the power, Raven couldn't bring up a field to protect herself. She flailed back and forth helplessly as Savitar continued his assault.

_KRACK! BAM! WHAACK!_

Raven fell to the ground, battered, costume and cape torn and ripped. The evil zealot grabbed her by the collar and lifted her with one arm. He brought her face to his as he charged his electric aura.

"Perhaps with you all out of the way, he will realize he has nowhere left to go," growled Savitar. He quickly glanced at Raven's tattered appearance. A disgusting smile crossed his lips.

"Hmm…it's easy to see why West has fallen for you," he hissed as Raven struggled in his grip. "Perhaps you can be of one final use to me…"

Raven spat in his face before he brought her any closer. Savitar shook his head violently, and glared at the beautiful empath.

"Have it your way, then!" he exclaimed as he raised his fist. Raven wanted to conjure one last spell, but she just couldn't muster the power. She knew she probably couldn't survive another shot. She heard the energy of the vibrations coming from his fist. She shut her eyes, waiting for the last blow.

'God…I'm so sorry, Wally. I…I love you…'

_KRACKOOOM!_

Raven felt a rush of wind and snow hit the side of her face as the grip on her collar suddenly vanished. She hit the ground, opened her eyes and looked around. She caught a glimpse of what seemed to be lightning on the horizon, but it flashed away just as quickly. Raven got on her knees and sighed.

"Wally?"

* * *

The friction on Savitar's back was blistering as Kid Flash ran faster and faster. He felt pain all over his body, but he didn't care. It was time to bring all of this to an end.

Savitar winced in pain, unable to get free from Kid Flash's grip.

"ARGH! You little bastard! You…dare!" he choked out. He began to vibrate his body, hoping it would help him break free. After a few attempts, it worked. Savitar slapped Kid Flash's hands away, actually managed to find footing, and gave chase to the teen.

"You little fool!" he called. "You think you have what it takes to breach the barrier? To outrun me? I'll rend you limb from limb!"

Kid Flash ignored Savitar's threats, concentrating only on running. Both he and Savitar were rocketing around the world, faster and faster on each lap. Kid Flash couldn't understand how he was able to do this. Oh sure, he'd gone around the world before. But normally, he'd tire out after about lap 10, and he was well past that without breaking a sweat. What's going on?

Bright light flashed around them as the continued their race. Soon enough, the speedsters found themselves in what seemed to be a tunnel of light and energy. The outside world, blurry at first, had completely disappeared. Both speedsters knew what was happening.

'This is it,' thought Kid Flash. 'The home stretch.'

"Grrah!"

Kid Flash's thoughts were scattered when he heard Savitar grunt from behind. The dark speedster was trying to hit him and knock him off course. Kid Flash slowed slightly, letting Savitar come up along side.

They began feverishly exchanging blows with one another, all the while maintaining their speed and course. After a bit, they began to feel something strange. They stopped attacking one another and put their energy into a dead sprint.

Kid Flash couldn't understand what was happening. It was as if something was…calling to him.

Something wonderful.

As they ran forward, Kid Flash started hearing things. Things from his past, his present…maybe even his future?

"_Wow, Aunt Iris! The Flash is the coolest ever!"_

"_How'd you like to meet him?"_

"_Really?"_

They felt their bodies begin to stretch out, as if they were made from rubber.

"_I'm joining the Teen Titans, Uncle Barry. It sounds like a great opportunity."_

"_Maybe. But I still need you here, Wally."_

"_Hey, I can multi-task. I learned from the best."_

All sense of time seemed to disappear. As if it had no meaning.

"_I thought you were asleep."_

"_And I thought I was gonna wake up in my room."_

Kid Flash felt a wave of calmness overtake him. An unknown feeling, too.

"_Where is he! What happened to him?"_

"_I'm sorry, Wally. He's gone."_

"_No…Uncle Barry…"_

A sense of…infinity. And his place in it.

"_You're sure about this, junior?"_

"_Absolutely, Jay. All that Barry accomplished…it can't be forgotten. From this day on, THE FLASH LIVES!"_

Both men raced to meet this wonderful sensation that was calling them home.

"_I promise, you'll love it here."_

"_I don't know, Wally. It doesn't seem like my kind of town."_

"_Keystone may be rough around the edges, hon. But trust me, there are great people here."_

_KRACK-A-BOOOOM!_

They broke through the barrier with an unimaginable force. White, blinding light greeted them. Time, space, gravity…none of it meant a thing. All was one…and none at the same time.

"I've done it! I've made it!" screamed Savitar. "The Speed Force! Isn't it heavenly?"

Heaven. If there was such a thing, then this had to be it. Kid Flash hovered in pure emptiness, utterly content. He felt himself beginning to whisk away into the Speed Force itself.

"Oh, man…this is…home…"

Wait. HOME!

'Of course!' he thought, shaking out of his trance. He needed to get back. Back to his…dimension, for lack of a better word. Plane of existence, .maybe? 'Aw, who cares!' thought the teen hero. 'I gotta get outta here!'

Savitar, on the other hand, was relishing in his surroundings.

"Now that I have breeched the barrier, I am now the Fastest Man Alive! I am truly lightning incarnate!"

Lightning danced around him as Kid Flash looked on. Savitar continued to howl insanely.

"I AM A GOD!"

_KRACKOOOOM!_

A huge bolt struck him from out of nowhere, enveloping him. Kid Flash shielded his eyes, unsure of what just happened. He squinted to see.

Savitar's form was slowly fading into nothingness. At first his expression was that of joy. But with each passing moment, the fear in his face grew until sheer terror engulfed him.

"Wait! What…no! Th-this isn't right! This c-can't be happening! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

_KRACKOOOM!_

With another flash of lightning, Savitar vanished. Kid Flash rubbed his eyes, trying to process what he just saw.

"Guess he got what he wanted after all…unity with the Speed Force."

Kid Flash looked around, seeing only bright light and bolts of lightning. He needed to get back…but how? How do you come back from heaven? He started to feel his body fade away, too. Just like Savitar had. Panic came over the young speedster.

"Oh, no…no, no, NO!" he exclaimed.

It felt wonderful and terrifying at the same time. Kid Flash flailed helplessly as he faded faster and faster.

"Dammit…at least I stopped him, right guys? Max…Uncle Barry…Dick," he said to himself.

"Raven…aw, Raven…I'm sorry…"

Suddenly, Kid Flash felt a surge go through him. It wasn't like anything he'd ever felt before. He looked down to see his body was slowly returning to normal. But, how? Kid Flash thought for a second, then it hit him.

'Raven! That's it!' he thought.

Kid Flash began filling his head with memories of Raven. All the adventures they've shared, the friendship they developed…the love he felt for her. With each thought, he felt that same surge intensify. Finally, after one last giant surge, Kid Flash's body phased back to normal. He was right…the thought of Raven grounded him.

"Okay. Now, how the hell do I get out of here?"

Nothing was coming to him. He may not have phased into the Speed Force itself, but he was still trapped. He couldn't run, since there was no ground to run on. And even if there was, he had no idea which way to go.

All seemed hopeless, until something in Kid Flash's head told him to vibrate. He didn't know why, or if it would do any good. But he figured it was better to try something than to just float around for the rest of eternity.

Kid Flash started to vibrate, slowly at first, then faster and faster. While he did this, his thoughts remained on Raven. He wanted so see her so badly at that point. He missed her smile, her violet eyes, the way she smelled…he couldn't contain it any longer.

_FIIIZZ! KRACK! KRACKOOOM!_

Kid Flash's aura mixed with that of his surroundings, causing a bubble of sorts to shape around him. His body vibrating faster than he ever had before, and his mind on the one person who could bring him back.

"Raven…"

* * *

While the rest of the Teen Titans regrouped and mended their wounds, Raven remained in the same spot where she fell, fixated on the point where she saw the flash of lightning. The wind was picking up, but she didn't care about the cold. Only one thing was on her mind.

"Wally…"

The sound of crunching snow grew louder and louder behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Robin standing over her, a concerned look on his face.

"Here, Raven," he said, draping his cape over her shoulders. "Look, we need to be heading back. If we stay out here any longer…"

"I'm not leaving without him, Robin," Raven replied sternly.

Robin kneeled next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"If worried about Wally, too. But we can't help him unless we help ourselves first."

Raven looked at the ground, then nodded slowly. Robin was right. Hell, he was _always_ right. She wasn't going to be of any help to Wally if she were frozen stiff. With the Boy Wonder's help, she got up and they slowly made their way to the rest of the group. Hot Spot generated some heat, while Cyborg and Bumblebee were trying to figure a way back to Jump City.

Raven wrapped Robin's cape around her and made her way to the center, near the heat. As she warmed herself, she sensed a strange surge of power directly next to them. She also sensed a consciousness…something familiar. No, not something. Some_one_! Raven's eyes widened as she spun around.

"Everyone, get back!" she cried out.

_KRACK-A-BOOOOM!_

A giant bolt of lightning came crashing down next to the Titans, with enough force to blow everyone back several feet. Then, from this bolt, a sphere of white energy appeared. The power it was giving off was enormous. The Titans moved cautiously towards it, not knowing what to expect.

Raven quickly moved ahead of everyone else. She knew she sensed it. It just had to be. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. The wind picked up as the sphere surged with energy. Raven wasn't phased…she continued to probe the phenomena before her.

'C'mon…it has to be you. It _has_ to be…' A tear slid down Raven's cheek as she frowned in concentration. She felt the consciousness again, this time more directly. It was focusing on her!

'I'm here, Wally. I'm here…'

_KRACKKOOOM!_

In an explosion of light, the sphere disappeared. The wind vanished, and all that remained was a crater and smoke. Raven opened her eyes as the rest of the Titans drew near to the smoking pit. After the battle they just had, they were understandably on the defensive. As the smoke cleared, the Titans (and Raven in particular) all sighed deeply in relief.

In the middle of the crater, collapsed to his knees, was Kid Flash. His suit had been tattered to shreds, and he was bleeding once again from his nose. He wiped it, looked up slowly, and saw his friends standing in front on him.

"Uh…_kaff, kaff…_hey guys," he choked out. "Good to see you."

Before he knew it, Raven had rushed to him, dropped to her knees, and threw her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest while sobbing softly. Wally instinctively snaked his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm back, Rae. I'm…here…"

Wally collapsed fully, taking Raven with him. The other Titans rushed around him as Raven got up, a frantic look on her face.

"Wally? Oh, God…Wally!"

"I'm fine…just tired," Kid Flash responded. "A little help?"

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed as the Teen Titans laughed and cheered. Using her powers, the empath lifted both Kid Flash and herself to their feet. They leaned on each other for support, Wally's arm draped over Raven's shoulder while hers were firmly around his waist.

"Wally! You're safe!" exclaimed Robin, who hurried through the crowd to his friend. "Aw, man that was awesome! I had no idea you could move like that! Where exactly did you go? And where's Savitar?"

All these questions never made it into Wally's brain. He was too busy staring at the beauty holding him. He looked down into her deep, violet eyes. She smiled softly (man, he can't get enough of that!) as she nuzzled his neck. With his free hand, he tilted her head up so she could face him. Robin realized what was going on, and casually backed off.

"Thanks for bringing me back, Rae," whispered Kid Flash. Raven raised her hand and cupped his cheek.

"Wally…shut up."

And with that, Wally's lips came crashing down on hers. She reciprocated, opening her mouth and sliding her tongue into his. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She responded by putting her arms around his neck and running her hands through his fiery red hair. After a few moments, they pulled apart, gasping for air. Wally beamed at her, then realized 'Oh, crap! We're not alone!'

He turned his head to see his friends all standing there, gawking. Wally scratched the back of his head while Raven blushed and retreated into his arms.

"Um…hey guys. Something we can help you with?"

The Titans responded feverishly.

"Oh, no! No, no, no, no…"

"…just wanted to make sure…"

"…you're okay! I mean…uh,"

"…hey, Cy, how're getting outta here…"

"…should be helping these guys, hehe…"

They all scattered off, except for Robin and Starfire, who just nodded with knowing smiles. Wally and Raven smiled back, looked at each other, and kissed again.

"I love you, Raven," he whispered as they pulled apart.

"I love you, too, Wally," she replied as she pulled him back.

* * *

Well folks, that's it...or is it? Stick around, you just might see something after the credits...


	13. Epilogue

See what happens if you wait till after the credits?

Disclaimer: if you don't know by now, kiss it

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

_Keystone City, Kansas._

_The blue collar capital of America._

_A city that's not afraid to get it's hands dirty. A city that works hard…and plays harder._

_I came here with the love of my life. My heart and soul…my wife. And soon to be the mother of my child._

_My Raven._

_I had lived across the river, in Central City, for years. But after…the crisis…I needed to start over. We both did. So we came here. Heh…I can still remember when I first brought her here._

"_I promise, you'll love it here."_

"_I don't know, Wally. It doesn't seem like my kind of town."_

"_Keystone may be rough around the edges, hon. But trust me, there are great people here."_

_I was right. Not to say Keystone doesn't have it's problems…it does. It's got crime and corruption like anyplace else. It's share of super villains…and Rogues._

_But that's where I come in. I race through these streets every day, trying my damnedest to keep these people safe. Between political corruption, organized crime, and the Rogues…I got my hands full. But that's okay. I'm great at multi-tasking. I learned from the best…_

_My name is Wally West. I'm the Fastest Man Alive._

_I'm THE FLASH!_

* * *

The. End. (Finally!)


End file.
